Confusion over woman 'cleared' of Sars

Fresh confusion surfaced over a Chinese woman reportedly cleared as a Sars suspect earlier this week.

As tests continued for the sickness on a second woman suspect – receiving treatment today at a hospital in Waterford – the health status of the first woman was queried.

It was claimed on an Irish health website that the woman, although given the all-clear after blood and other medical tests proved negative, had afterwards been classified as a “probable” Sars case in a report submitted to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Dr Jim Kiely, chief medical officer at the Government’s health department, stressed today that the blood tests carried out on the Chinese woman had only been a stage in the investigation for Sars.

“When we get the full and final report, we will be in a position to report this case to the WHO one way or the other.

“The blood tests were negative. There is a final determination to be made in relation to the X-ray results in this case.”

Earlier this week, Health Minister Micheál Martin admitted contingency plans had not worked in the case of the first woman suspected of having the illness, who comes from the region of China where Sars is believed to have originated.

The woman went to a Dublin hospital with Sars-like symptoms a week ago, and was initially handed a surgical mask and told to return to the hostel where she was staying.

She was admitted to hospital this week and is still being monitored in an isolation ward.

The latest alert centred on an Irish woman from Waterford, who recently returned to Ireland from Toronto – where 16 people have already died from Sars - after a holiday in Canada.

Last night it became clear that the woman contacted her doctor on getting back to Ireland, displaying symptoms of the illness that has claimed hundreds of lives worldwide.

According to the South Eastern Health Board, it was “days rather than hours” after her return before she was admitted to hospital yesterday.

The woman was receiving treatment and undergoing tests today in Waterford Regional Hospital where her condition was reported to be improving.

Fine Gael has called on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to recall the Dail from its Easter recess to debate the Government’s response to the Sars threat.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the recent public utterances of Mr Martin did not inspire any confidence that the Government had a clear plan to deal with the potentially “catastrophic consequences of a spread of Sars into this country“.

He added: “The handling of the suspected case in Dublin last weekend was very worrying as the relevant World Health Organisation guidelines were not adhered to.”