A New Zealander named David Riddington completed his recovery from
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Xi'an, the capital city
of northwest China's Shaanxi province on Wednesday.
Riddington, who is the only foreign SARS case identified in the
province, was discharged from the hospital along with another
patient as the first group of recovered patients since Shaanxi
province began reporting SARS cases, according to the First
Hospital of prestigious Xi'an Jiaotong University.
Riddington, 39, a resident of London where he works as a gardener
in a park, was identified as a suspected SARS patient at Xianyang
International airport in the city of Xi'an while touring the
ancient city in mid-April. He was sent to the hospital immediately
where he received prompt treatment for nearly 20 days.
"I
am fully recovered now, and I very much thank the Xi'an doctors and
nurses for their immediate and meticulous treatment," said
Riddington.
"David cooperated very well with us during the treatment," said Dr.
Han Qunying, the doctor in charge of his case, adding, "his case
proves that SARS is a curable disease."
Moreover, Riddington said, "I am convinced that the humankind will
eventually win the battle against SARS."
(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2003)