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Officials dismiss SARS rumor
CHINA CONNECTION:
While the test results aren't in yet, officials say a Chiayi man who died shortly after returning from a business trip appears to have suffered pneumonia
CNA AND AP, TAIPEI
Thursday, May 26, 2005, Page 2
The government yesterday denied a newspaper report that a man who died after recently visiting China had tested positive for SARS.
An official from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday that a Taiwanese man who maintained business operations in China is believed to have died of viral pneumonia and added that a report in a Chinese-language newspaper claiming that the man died of SARS was highly speculative.
The man, who had been in China from May 8 to May 17, became ill and sought medical help on May 19. He died two days later at the Chang Keng Memorial Hospital in Chiayi, the center said.
CDC Deputy Director-General Chou Chih-hao (©P§Ó¯E) said that there have been no confirmed SARS cases reported worldwide at present and that it remains to be determined whether the deceased man had contracted SARS.
Chou confirmed said the businessman's son, who had accompanied him to China, and also checked into the hospital with fever and a cough, had been diagnosed with Type A flu, increasing the chances that was the ailment that killed his father.
Chou said that the center is investigating the source of the SARS allegation and stressed that the rumormonger will be apprehended and dealt with in accordance with the law.
In related news, Premier Frank Hsieh (Áªø§Ê) has instructed the appropriate government agencies to step up inspection and quarantine measures following reports of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in northern China, the Executive Yuan said yesterday.
Cabinet Spokesman Cho Jung-tai (¨ôºa®õ) made the remarks after Council of Agriculture Minister Lee Ching-lung (§õª÷Às) made a report during an Executive Yuan floor meeting.
Lee said that in view of the fact that China often keeps a lid on outbreaks of major infectious diseases, the Executive Yuan should instruct all related agencies, including harbors and airports -- especially the harbors on Kinmen and Matsu -- that have direct transportation links with China, to be on alert and step up inspection and quarantine work.
Cho said that in view of Beijing's past record of attempting to hide outbreaks of major infectious diseases, the government will lodge a protest with China and with international organizations.
FMD is a highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle and hogs.
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