Travelers warned of SARS dangers
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Americans planning to travel abroad are being urged to check for the latest information on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) before departing.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have issued a number of travel advisories regarding SARS. The U.S. State Department's consular affairs Web site also has information regarding the disease.
SARS has killed 116 people worldwide, but the vast majority of deaths and infections has been in Asia -- notably China, including Hong Kong.
Deaths have also been reported in Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, according to WHO figures published Friday. People with SARS infections have been reported as far afield as Brazil, Italy, Japan, the United States and South Africa.
In a public announcement, the State Department urged U.S. citizens to check with the embassies or consulates of countries they plan to visit for details of any travel restrictions or warnings.
Americans should also be aware that some countries may bar entry to travelers who arrive from SARS-affected areas, the State Department said.
People who become sick with SARS will not be able to be evacuated, since air ambulance services and airlines will not transport them, the announcement said.
Travelers to mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore or Vietnam, or people who have had close contact with a SARS-infected person, are considered at risk.
Close contact means having cared for, lived with or had contact with a SARS patient's coughs, sneezes or body fluids.
The time from exposure to development of symptoms appears to range from two to 10 days, health officials have said. Symptoms can include fever above 100.4 F, aches and respiratory problems.
The CDC Web site also has information for prospective parents of adoptees from SARS-affected areas.
