A man in Guangzhou City, capital of south China's Guangdong
Province, was diagnosed as a suspected patient of Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
An official of Guangdong provincial health department confirmed
this to Xinhua News Agency Saturday afternoon.
He said that the middle-aged man is receiving further medical
check and group consultations.
The suspected SARS case was confirmed by the Ministry of Health
and a panel of medical specialists of the province at three o'clock
Friday afternoon in Guangzhou City.
This is the first suspected SARS case ever found since May 23
when the World Health Organization (WHO) lifted the SARS-related
travel advisory against Guangdong Province.
The first SARS case was found in Foshan City of the province in
November 2002.
Chinese mainland's last two SARS patients were discharged from
hospital on August 16 in Beijing after more than 100 days of
medical treatment.
As of 10 am August 16, a total of 5,327 SARS cases were reported
on the Chinese mainland, 4,959 patients were cured and discharged
from hospital. Death toll from the disease stood at 349. Of the
total figure, 2,521 SARS cases and 193 deaths from the disease were
reported in Beijing.
(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2003)