NOTE CDC Health Alert for Travelers In The United States In Hong Kong

Posted on June 17th, 2009 by admin, under America Travel.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday began distributing cards at airports to receive new flights from Hong Kong warning travelers returning to the United States from Hong Kong and Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China and Hanoi, Vietnam, they may have been exposed, in case of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

The maps are the main quarantine officials at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Los Angeles, New York City, JFK International Airport, Newark and San Francisco. These airports are the only U.S. airports with direct flights from Hong Kong. No U.S. airports with direct flights from Hanoi or Guangdong province. CDC officials, for the distribution of cards in Anchorage, Alaska and the Territory of Guam today.

Travel maps and warn the return in the three areas that the health of at least seven days. They are also recommended, with her doctors if she falls ill with fever accompanied by cough or dyspnea.

The cards also provide guidelines to support doctors in the diagnosis of travelers advice of doctors to report on recent trips to the regions concerned, and if in contact with people, the symptoms of SARS appears.

As of March 15, 2003, CDC had reports of SARS cases in Hong Kong and Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China, Hanoi, Vietnam and Canada, Singapore and Thailand. It is for this reason that the World Health Organization, the need for guidelines for travelers and airlines, as well as individuals, symptoms of the disease display, you can get an immediate health and may be to attract the attention of public health authorities. These people are also ill advised for a trip.

The CDC recommends that doctors and other physicians on guard for travelers:

Have fever 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher;

One or more symptoms of a disease of the airways such as cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, hypoxia (lack of high oxygen on the body tissues), X-rays, as pneumonia, or respiratory problems, AND

One or more of the following:

The history of travel to Hong Kong or Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China, or Hanoi, Vietnam, within seven days after onset of symptoms;

Close contact with persons with respiratory diseases, which describes the history of travel. Close contact with affection, lived with or had direct contact with secretions and body fluids of a person with SARS.

In addition, airlines will:

Alert destination of passengers, the criteria for case definition;

The arrival of passengers, the symptoms, it is appropriate that the health authorities for assessment and care;

Aircraft passengers and crew members on the person of the state of a suspected case of SARS;

The passengers and crew, all contact information for passengers, as can be achieved for 14 days at the airport of Health.

CDC recommends that people planning option or not to travel to Hong Kong and Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China and Hanoi, Vietnam hear their tours extended at a later date. Detailed information on the CDC Traveler’s Health web site http://www.cdc.gov/travel/.