US says delay travel to Vietnam because of virus
WASHINGTON - The United States advised
Americans on Friday to put off travel to Vietnam because of an
outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, a deadly form of
pneumonia, the State Department said.
It said that the only adequate hospital in Vietnam had closed and
the two main outpatient facilities had reduced operations because
of the outbreak in the north of the country.
"Therefore, the department recommends that American citizens
reschedule all nonessential travel to Vietnam, especially if
traveling with young children, until medical services have returned
to normal," it added.
As a precaution, U.S. government employees in Vietnam have
decided to put off travel to Hanoi and other northern areas close to
the Chinese border, a statement said.
Across the world, more than 300 people have fallen ill with SARS
and at least 10 have died, according to the World Health
Organization, which issued a global health alert about the outbreak
last week.
Reuters - March 22, 2003 - Photo Agence France Presse
US suspends all official travel to Vietnam over mystery pneumonia
WASHINGTON - The United States suspended all travel by US officials to Vietnam and restricted travel by its diplomats there due to concerns about the spread of a mystery respiratory disease.
In addition, the State Department advised US citizens, particularly those with young children, to postpone all non-essential travel to Vietnam until hospitals there are better able to cope with the infection.
The department said it had taken the steps due to limited access to health care facilities because of the outbreak and the refusal of commercial airlines to evacuate people suffering from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
"In order to limit any possible exposure to infection, US government officials in Vietnam have decided to defer all non-essential travel to Hanoi and other areas of northern Vietnam close to the Chinese border," the department said in a statement.
"In addition, because of reduced availability of adequate medical facilities, the Department of State has suspended official travel to Vietnam until further notice," it said.
"The department recommends that American citizens reschedule all non- essential travel to Vietnam, especially if traveling with young children, until medical services have returned to normal," it said.
At least 64 people in Vietnam, including the 10-year-old son of a US diplomat, are believed to have contracted the infection which has killed 10 people worldwide and sickened hundreds.
In Hanoi, the State Department said the level of medical services had been "dramatically diminished by the closure of the only adequate hospital facility and reduced operations by the two main outpatient facilities due to the SARS emergency."
The US alert was issued despite the fact that the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Friday that the outbreak of the typical pneumonia strain does not warrant any travel restrictions.
Experts of the Geneva-based UN health agency also said that research into the cause of SARS had permitted some known viruses to be excluded.
Agence France Presse - March 21, 2003.
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