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April 10, 2003
HONOLULU- Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) officials today
released details about a suspect Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS) case that passed through Honolulu last month. A woman, a flight
attendant on China Airlines, started feeling ill during a one-night
layover in Honolulu, March 31. The woman is receiving medical care in
Taiwan and is expected to make a full recovery from the illness.
Department of Health investigators are working with the staff and
management of the Holiday Inn Waikiki, the hotel where the woman
stayed. Preliminary findings indicate that there are no cases of
unexplained respiratory illness among hotel staff. To date, the hotel
is open, operating as normal and poses no health risk to the
public.
"The good news is, that although this SARS case did come through
Hawaii, we're up to the 10 day incubation period and there's no
evidence of transmission to other people," said State Epidemiologist
Paul Effler, M.D.
While the microbe that causes SARS is still being confirmed and
there is no cure it should be noted that 96 percent of patients who
contract the disease do fully recover. The illness appears to have an
incubation period of 2-7 days and suspect cases must meet the following
criteria:
- Fever higher than100.4°F and
- One or more respiratory symptoms including cough, shortness of
breath, difficulty in breathing and
- Either close contact with a person diagnosed with SARS or recent
travel to areas with documented transmission of SARS.
Detailed information is also available through the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention at 1(888) 246-2675 or www.cdc.gov and via the World
Health Organization web site at www.who.int .
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For more information, contact:
Janice Okubo
Communications Director
Phone: (808) 586-4442
E-mail: jsokubo@health.state.hi.us
Laura M. Lott
Information Specialist
Phone: (808) 586-4418
E-mail: lmlott@health.state.hi.us
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