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MAY 27, 2003 -- Geneva -- The World Health Organization has removed its SARS-related advisory against nonessential travel to Hong Kong and neighboring Guangdong province, in China, but cited possible new cases of the disease in Toronto.
Cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome showed a sustained decline in Hong Kong since the peak of new cases in late March, according to WHO. The total number of people who are still infectious has fallen below 60, and all new cases in the past 20 days have occurred in people who were already identified as contacts of a person with SARS, WHO reported. There have been no recent reports of internationally exported cases from Hong Kong.
Last Friday's lifting of the travel warning by the United Nations agency brought relief to Hong Kong tourism officials, who have seen a drastic drop in meetings, business travel and tourism since April 2, when WHO first issued its alert.
"It will give visitors reassurance that they can start planning their visits to Hong Kong again," Selina Chow, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, said about WHO's action. "The HKTB has already drawn up its comeback plans."
WHO advisories against nonessential travel remain in effect for Beijing and four other areas of China, as well as Taiwan.
Meanwhile, Canadian officials faced more bad news yesterday, when WHO cited the recent probable local transmission of SARS in Toronto. The change in status followed information from Canada's national health agency, Health Canada, about 26 suspected and eight probable new cases of SARS linked to four Toronto hospitals. Those at the highest risk of exposure are the hospitals' staff members, patients, and visitors.
Despite the suspected new cases, WHO is not recommending restrictions on travel to Toronto. On 23 April, WHO warned against all but nonessential travel to Toronto. But the agency lifted the alert one week later, when it appeared that the spread of SARS was abating in Canada's largest city.
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