Acute Respiratory Syndrome in Hanoi, Vietnam, and in Hong Kong SAR and Guangdong Province, China

Updated: March 14, 2003

At this time, Health Canada is monitoring recent reports of outbreaks of acute respiratory syndrome and atypical pneumonia in Vietnam, in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and in Guangdong Province of China.

To date, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports the following:

• In Vietnam, a single initial case was hospitalized in Hanoi with a severe, acute respiratory syndrome of unknown origin. Following his admission to hospital, approximately 20 hospital staff became ill with similar symptoms. Prior to becoming ill, the individual had travelled to Shanghai City and Hong Kong SAR in China.

• In Hong Kong SAR on March 12, the Department of Health reported an outbreak of respiratory illness in one of its public hospitals. As of March 11, 23 of 50 health care workers who had been screened were found to have febrile illness and, as a precaution, were admitted to the hospital for observation. Eight have developed early chest x-ray signs of pneumonia. In addition, three health care workers self presented to hospitals with febrile illness. Two of the three had chest x-ray signs of pneumonia.

• In mid February, the government of China reported 305 cases of atypical pneumonia, with five deaths, occurring in Guangdong province. In two of the deaths, chlamydia infection was confirmed.

While the exact cause(s) of these disease outbreaks has not been fully established, health authorities report that, to date:

1. No link has been established between the outbreak reported in Hanoi, Vietnam and the outbreak reported in the public hospital in Hong Kong SAR.

2. No link has so far been made between these outbreaks of acute respiratory illness in Hanoi and Hong Kong and the outbreak of "bird flu", the avian influenza A (H5N1), in Hong Kong SAR reported on February 19 [see previous advisory at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/tmp-pmv/2003/h5n1hk_e.html].

3. The acute respiratory illnesses in Hanoi and Hong Kong SAR appear to be confined to the hospital environment and NOT in the general public. Those at highest risk are, apparently, health care workers caring for ill patients.

Source: World Health Organization

Recommendations

Health Canada strongly recommends that Canadian travellers seek an individual
risk assessment consultation with their personal physician or a travel medicine
clinic to determine their individual risks for illness.

Canadian travellers are reminded to practice good personal hygiene (e.g., good hand-washing practices) while travelling. Disease-causing micro-organisms can frequently be found on the hands. Hand-washing is the single most important procedure for preventing infections.

Until further information is available, as a precautionary measure, Canadian travellers may want to avoid crowded, enclosed areas in Hanoi, Vietnam; and in Hong Kong SAR and Guangdong Province, China.