Geneva — The United Nations health agency issued a rare travel warning Wednesday, advising against trips to Hong Kong and the Chinese province of Guangdong because of a deadly outbreak of a mystery disease.
The World Health Organization said it was taking the action because at least nine foreign businessmen have caught severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, in Hong Kong and returned with it to their home countries.
"People who are planning to traveller to Hong Kong or Guangdong should consider postponing their travel until another time," said WHO infectious diseases chief David Heymann.
SARS has killed at least 75 people and sickened about 1,800, the majority in China and Hong Kong. There have also been six deaths in Canada.
A health-care worker wearing protective gear speaks to a masked woman who visited a SARS clinic Tuesday in Markham, Ont. (Tibor Kolley/The Globe and Mail)
Related Articles
Internet Links
Until now, the WHO had said that travellers could continue to go to the affected areas but should be aware of the symptoms of the disease and seek medical help quickly if they felt ill.
A number of countries already have advised their citizens to avoid the area, but many others simply followed WHO guidelines.
Also Wednesday, China reported that there had been 361 new cases of the disease and nine deaths. Two more people died in Canada, which was struck by SARS after travellers returned from Asia carrying the disease.
The WHO has not issued advice to travellers intending to visit other countries hit by the disease. Dr. Heymann said the outbreak appears to be under control in Vietnam and work to contain it in Singapore and Canada seems to be succeeding.
In Pictures:
