Careless lab researcher sparks new Asian SARS alert

TAIWAN health authorities said a military medical researcher had contracted SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), sparking alerts across Asia of a possible resurgence of the killer virus.

The scientist, who tested positive for SARS yesterday, failed to follow safety guidelines and wear protective clothing while studying the virus, a World Health Organisation official said.

The 44-year-old scientist suspected he was infected by some spilled liquid in his laboratory at Taipei’s National Defence University, said Dr Shigeru Omi, the WHO’s Western Pacific regional director.

“This person told the authorities that he worked in the laboratory and observed that there was some spilt liquid attached to the outside surface of the test tube,” Omi said, “so this is most likely how the contaminated liquid infected this scientist.” The WHO official also said the scientist did not wear protective gear, such as gloves and a gown.

“What we hope is that all the researchers involved in this kind of work will comply with this recommendation we have already given ,” Omi said.

“He was in a hurry to get ready for a Singapore conference, and was careless,” said Su Ih-jen of Taiwan’s Centre for Disease Control.

Officials played down the risk of the disease spreading to others.

The man caught the virus in his lab on December 5 while experimenting with SARS, officials said yesterday.

He was later reported to be in a stable condition at the Taipei Municipal Hoping Hospital.

“The fever has gone. His vital signs, including blood pressure, heartbeat and body temperature, are all in normal ranges,” said hospital superintendent Chu Ta-cheng.

SARS sparked a worldwide health crisis after emerging in China’s southern Guangdong province last November , causing 774 deaths and overmore than 8,000 infections, the vast majority in Asia.

The outbreak devastated Asian economies, with , causing 774 deaths and more than 8,000 infections, the vast majority in Asia.

The outbreak devastated Asian economies, with travel and tourism sectors losing hundreds of millions of dollars.

Taiwan officials moved quickly to ease fears of another epidemic, which health experts had warned was a possibility in Asia’s cooler winter months.

“Only one person has been infected so far,” Taiwan’s Department of Health Minister Chen Chien-jen told a press conference.

“The general public shouldn’t panic, as this is a special case happening in the laboratory ... chances are meager that it would trigger an epidemic,” Chen said. The patient, a lieutenant-colonel working at the Institute of Preventive Medicine of the National Defence Medical Centre, developed a fever after returning from Singapore on December 10, where he attended a medical seminar.

He had stayed home until he was taken to hospital late Tuesday and diagnosed with pneumonia symptoms, said Centre for Disease Control Director Su Ih-jen. Two separate test results released early yesterday confirmed SARS.

The patient’s father, wife and two children would be kept at home until December 31 to watch for signs of fever, an early symptom of the disease, Su said. The Singapore health ministry has quarantined 70 people who may have come into contact with the patient.