Description of the situation
12 February 2003
Disease Outbreak Reported
Health officials from Guangdong Province have reported a total of 305 cases and 5 deaths of acute respiratory syndrome from 16 November- 9 February 2003 (see previous report.)
A team from the Chinese Ministry of Health is working with Guangdong health officials to investigate the outbreak and collect samples for laboratory analysis. To date, virus isolation for influenza has been negative.
Cases have been reported from 6 municipalities in Guangdong Province: Foshan, Guangzhou, Heyuan, Jiangmen, Shenzhen and Zhongshan. No new cases have been reported in Foshan, Heyuan and Zhongshan during the past week. The number of new cases is decreasing in Guangzhou, Jiangmen and Shenzhen municipalities.