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[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

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Plane Quarantined In San Jose For SARS
SAN JOSE, Calif., April 1, 2003
An American Airlines flight from Tokyo was quarantined on the tarmac at San
Jose's airport Tuesday after five people on board complained of symptoms
like those of the mysterious new illness spreading through Asia, health
officials said. 

Two passengers and two crew members, plus a fifth unidentified person,
complained of symptoms similar to those found in severe acute respiratory
syndrome ‹ which has afflicted hundreds in Hong Kong and killed at least 64
people worldwide. 

It was not immediately clear when the people became ill, only that they
reported to the crew during the flight that they "think they may have SARS,"
said Joy Alexiou, a spokeswoman for the Santa Clara County Public Health
Department. 

Alexiou added that "we're pretty sure four of the five transferred from Hong
Kong to Tokyo." 

Flight 128 from Tokyo to Mineta San Jose International Airport stopped on
the tarmac short of the gate midmorning Tuesday, and ambulances lined up
near the plane as the 125 passengers and 14 crew members waited on board
after the nine-hour flight.

American Airlines notified the airport that help was needed after "the
captain was informed of a passenger needing medical assistance," said Todd
Burke, a spokesman for the airline.

More than 1,600 cases of the illness have been reported so far worldwide,
including 69 cases in the United States. None of the U.S. cases was fatal.


Last week, evidence surfaced that SARS can be caught on airplanes. Hong Kong
authorities said several tourists on a China Air flight caught the disease
after flying with another SARS-infected passenger.

Singapore Airlines said an attendant was sickened after traveling on a
recent flight that carried an SARS-stricken doctor, and officials in
Connecticut said a suspected case there involved a college student who had
gone overseas on spring break.

The World Health Organization urged airlines to question passengers at
check-in and refusing to board those who might have the illness.

Alexiou said the passengers and crew members on the American flight who feel
sick would be transported to a hospital for chest X-rays and to have their
travel history checked before they are classified as suspected cases of
SARS. 

"This thing seems to spread a little easier than first anticipated, so we
want to take every precaution," Alexiou said.

Others on the plane will be given medical advice and allowed to depart ‹ but
told to immediately contact a doctor if they develop any symptoms, she said.

In Canada, the mystery illness claimed its fifth and sixth victims, health
officials said Tuesday.

Canada's health minister also acknowledged that little was known about
severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, but said proper steps have been
taken to control its spread.

All the SARS-related deaths in Canada have occurred in Toronto, the nation's
largest city. The majority of the nation's 129 probable or suspected cases
have occurred here.

The illness was brought to Canada by air travelers from Asia.

Health Minister Anne McLellan said information cards and questionnaires have
been given to international travelers at Toronto's Pearson International
Airport, but interviewing the 36,000 international travelers using the
airport each day would be unworkable and unnecessary.

Prime Minister Jean Chretien called the SARS outbreak "a very serious
problem" but added, "We should not panic. We hope it is confined, but you
never really know."

Also Tuesday, Syracuse University announced it had cut short its
semester-long study-abroad program in Hong Kong and called the students back
home because of worries over the illness. Fifteen of the program's 31
students are enrolled at Syracuse, the rest at other schools. Authorities in
Massachusetts said a baby girl adopted in China was identified Tuesday as
the third suspected case there.

SARS usually begins with a fever of more than 100.4 Fahrenheit (38 degrees
Celsius), sometimes with chills and headache and body aches. After two to
seven days, patients may develop a cough. Other symptoms can include
shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing and pneumonia.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends postponing
non-essential trips to mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Hanoi,
Vietnam. 
©MMIII CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press
contributed to this report.
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