SARS, Fund to fight disease
Clonmel Town Council has requested the 63-strong Hong Kong Special Olympic delegation not to come to Tipperary for the Special Olympics.
Clonmel was due to host the Hong Kong delegation for a number of days before the international event.
The council decided tonight, with regret, that the delegation should not visit the town because of the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong.
Earlier today the Chinese ambassador to Ireland, Hail In Sha, indicated to the Department of Health, his government's wish that Chinese athletes take part in the Special Olympics in June.
Discussions between the Government and Chinese diplomats will continue over the coming days and weeks.
An expert from the World Health Organisation is due in Dublin this week to discuss the Special Olympics and fears about the spread of SARS.
The Government's inter-departmental group on SARS met today where the implications for travel and tourism were discussed.
The Government's campaign to keep SARS from taking a hold here has visibly stepped up a gear.
A new SARS-information desk has been set-up at Dublin Airport, where air travellers can get more details on the illness.
Three million information leaflets are being printed by the Department of Health for the public and an information telephone helpline is being manned.
Elsewhere the WHO has said it will lift its warning against unnecessary travel to Toronto imposed because of the risk of SARS.
The decision was announced at a news conference by WHO Director-General, Gro Harlem Brundtland, after talks with Canadian officials.
21 people have died from the pneumonia-like illness in Canada; the only country outside Asia to report SARS deaths.
European Union health ministers are to hold emergency talks next week on how to combat the spread of the SARS virus.
The flu-like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome has killed more than 350 people and infected 5,500. Most of the deaths have been concentrated in Asia, but there have also been cases of the disease in EU countries.
The Chinese Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao, has said the SARS situation in his country is grave, and it will be a long-term problem to bring it under control.
He was speaking after a meeting of Asian heads of government in Thailand aimed at tackling the spread of the virus.
The Asian leaders adopted a six-point plan to control the SARS outbreaks, which have killed more than 350 people and infected 5,500 in nearly 30 countries.
It includes rigorous screenings of international travellers, a SARS hotline, exchange of research and a call for transparency about the disease.
China has come under criticism in recent days for not doing enough to stem the spread of the disease.
It reported nine new deaths and over 200 new cases of the disease today.
Also today, South Korea reported its first probable case of SARS. Officials said the patient was a man who had just returned from China.
South Korea has 13 suspected SARS cases.
Earlier, Vietnam was declared by the WHO to be the first country to have the disease under control, after reporting no new cases in the last 20 days.
