Chinese woman is probable SARS case

A Chinese woman declared a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome suspect is said to be “at very serious risk” of having contracted the sickness.

It also emerged that the woman, who arrived in Dublin from the Far East last week, presented herself with Sars-like symptoms at St Vincent’s Hospital last Friday.

She was given a surgical mask and told to return to the hostel where she has been living.

She spent the weekend there before reporting to doctors again and being confirmed as a suspect case of the illness.

In a statement the hospital said: “The patient was never admitted to the hospital but was medically assessed and it was deemed appropriate that she be discharged.”

The Eastern Health Board said the woman is being monitored, investigated and treated in accordance with best practice guidelines and her symptoms have improved.

Efforts were being made to track down everyone the woman – who comes from the region of China where Sars is believed to have originated – was in contact with throughout the weekend.

Five doctors involved the treatment of infectious diseases, who are currently on strike over an industrial dispute with the health authorities, today left a picket line to examine the suspect case.

Later they said they were treating the woman as a “probable” case of Sars, and regarded her as being “at serious risk” of having the illness.

The latest development came as a group of health experts, specially appointed by the Government to draft a strategy for dealing with the spread of the illness when the Special Olympics are staged this summer, delayed making any recommendations until next month.

After their meeting, the experts’ group, who also spoke to a representative of the Chinese embassy in Dublin, said they would be keeping in touch with the Olympics organisers.

It is thought unlikely the experts will recommend a cancellation of the games, unless the spread of the sickness escalates dramatically.

But they could ask competitors from some countries to stay away in a bid to minimise the risk.