SARS: Delhi detects first suspect case

The fourth suspect in the country so far, Maria has no history of travel to any of the 17 affected countries. ‘‘The patient had arrived from Nepal, where she attended a meeting, which had delegates from affected areas (Singapore). However, the foreign delegates showed no symptoms of the disease,’’ said Dr S.P. Agarwal, DGHS. Maria, who showed symptoms like fever and cough, is being treated in isolation at the RML Hospital. Doctors treating her said she does not entirely fit the WHO definition of a SARS case. They are waiting for reports before ruling it out totally.

‘‘She had fever and mild cough when admitted. There was no respiratory distress or breathing problem. She has no fever now and her cough is improving. Her X-rays are clear. She has been provisionally detected of having acute pharyngotonsilitis,’’ said Dr R.N. Salhan, the hospital medical superintendent. According to him, though preliminary tests rule out SARS, Maria is being given antibiotics and other symptomatic treatment.

Blood samples of the American tourist, Rebecca Raleigh, have tested negative for the killer pneumonia. The tests were conducted by the National Institute of Virology, Pune. Her two contacts, Starner Ami and Kelly, are under observation at RML hospital though they have not shown any symptoms of the disease. The country still remains free from the virus which has so far claimed 106 lives and infected nearly 2,600 people worldwide.

‘‘As of now there is no SARS case in India. Clinical condition of Rebecca Raleigh, who is undergoing treatment in a Mumbai hospital, is improving. Though other patients don’t fall strictly in the defination of SARS, we are waiting for results,’’ said Dr Agarwal.

Meanwhile, there was a flutter at Kolkata airport this evening when an Indian passenger travelling from Bangkok was suspected to be infected with SARS. Later in the night, the West Bengal government said he was not infected with SARS.