Hotel staff on alert after sixth SARS scare

Staff at a hotel visited by a man suspected of being Britain’s sixth victim of Sars were today urged to be aware of the symptoms of the deadly virus.

The latest possible victim, currently in isolation at London’s Northwick Park Hospital, held a meeting at the Marriott Heathrow Hotel with a Hong Kong businessman who has now being treated for Sars in his own country.

The pair met for the one-to-one talks on April 3 and the visitor from Hong Kong, who had stayed at the hotel the previous night, left for Germany later that day.

The Health Protection Agency today said it had begun an investigation into the circumstances of the stay at the Marriott on a “precautionary basis”.

In a statement, the HPA said: “As a precautionary measure, members of the Hillingdon Health Protection Team and local Primary Care Trust are now working closely with the Marriott Hotel to provide health advice to management and staff and to obtain further details regarding the guest’s stay.”

The agency said that based on current World Health Organisation advice, the risk to staff and guests at the hotel on April 2 and 3 April was “extremely low” and there should not be any risk to guests who stayed after those dates.

The statement went on: “As infection with Sars is believed to be spread through close personal contact, the HPA is recommending that the hotel continue its routine cleaning procedures, and that no additional measures are required.”

The agency said evidence suggested that close contact with an infected person posed the highest risk of catching Sars, and the majority of cases around the world to date had occurred in hospital workers and close family members.

The Marriott Heathrow Hotel said a HPA team had visited the hotel last night as part of the investigation.

“The interests of our guests and staff are our primary concern and we are working closely with the Health Protection team to ensure that our associates and guests are given the best possible advice at this time,” a statement said.

The hotel said that the estimated 10-day incubation period for the virus ended tomorrow and no members of staff had experienced any of the symptoms.

“As a further precaution, we have issued advice to our staff on the symptoms of Sars, so that they can seek medical advice should they develop any symptoms within the remaining incubation period,” the statement continued.

The sixth person suspected of suffering from Sars was today said to be responding well to treatment.

A spokesman for Northwick Park Hospital, said: “It is still a suspected case and we are not expected to get any further information or confirmation this weekend.

“He is still in isolation as is the case with all the patients on the infectious diseases ward.

“We take swabs on a continuous basis to establish whether or not this is Sars.”

Four of the other UK’s probable cases have all now recovered and have been discharged from hospital.

The fifth person, who is being treated in North Manchester General Hospital, is in a stable condition.

“There is no evidence of any transmission of Sars in the UK from any of these five people,” a Health Protection Agency spokeswoman said.

There have been more than 2,500 suspected cases worldwide, with a concentration in Hong Kong.

To date, more than 100 people have died as a result of Sars around the world.