Indonesia has recorded another suspected case of Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the Indonesian Ministry of Health and
Social Welfare announced in Jakarta on Thursday.
"A
40-year-old woman is identified as suspected SARS sufferer," said
Syafei Achmad, secretary general of preventing infectious disease
of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in a press
conference.
The Indonesian woman has got married with a British citizen and had
lived in Singapore, Achmad said.
The woman returned to Indonesia on April 6, he said.
Currently, the official said, the woman was quarantined in her
house under the procedures of the World Health Organization (WHO)
and her body temperature will be checked every eight hours.
If
the temperature increased, she has to be hospitalized, he
added.
The secretary general said that two patients of SARS have returned
to their homes, as they have been proved of not suffering from the
disease. The latest data indicate that the number of the suspected
SARS cases in Indonesia remains at three.
"A
suspected SARS patient in Banyumas hospital (in Central
Javaprovince) had just got a fever," he said.
Another possible SARS patient has been identified as not the
disease sufferer.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has categorized the
developments of the SARS cases as potential, being isolated and
treated, suspected, possible suspect and confirmed.
The WHO defines a suspected SARS case as a person with a fever
higher than 38 degrees centigrade; plus a cough, breathing
difficulty or shortness of breath; and close contact with a SARS
patient or a record of traveling from an affected area.
(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2003)