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New Cases Identified in China's SARS Outbreak
By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN

Published: April 26, 2004


In new wave of cases has apparently been identified in the SARS outbreak in China, the World Health Organization said yesterday, relaying information provided to it from the Chinese Ministry of Health.

The new wave is the third generation of cases in a chain of transmission that Chinese officials say began when a 26-year-old medical student, identified by her surname, Song, was working in the country's main SARS laboratory in Beijing in March.

The fact that SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, was transmitted to a third generation before it was identified shows its potential to spread quickly, even in a country where health officials say they are on alert to its return.

The latest outbreak includes four suspected cases of SARS. They are three relatives of a nurse, identified as Ms. Li, 20, who acquired the disease while caring for Ms. Song, and a person who had contact with Ms. Li in a hospital in Beijing.

All four people have fever and "are pretty sick," Mr. Thompson said. He said they were being treated in isolation in a hospital in Beijing but were not in intensive care.

Ms. Song is the only known case in the first generation of this chain of transmission. Ms. Song's mother, Ms. Wei, who has died, and Ms. Li are the cases in the second generation.

The outbreak also includes a potential second chain of transmission from a Mr. Yang. He is a graduate student who is suspected of having acquired SARS in the same laboratory in Beijing on April 17, nearly a month after Ms. Song acquired her infection there. So far, health officials have not traced any transmission from Mr. Yang to other people.


Do you agree that "the threat to public health is small and limited."?
What's your opinion?
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