A World Health Organization (WHO) medical team will arrive in Macao
on April 11 for a five-day inspection on the Special Administrative
Region's epidemic prevention of atypical pneumonia.
Fernando Chui Sai On, secretary for social affairs and culture,said
as a West-Pacific member of WHO, Macao has established a close
cooperation relationship with the WHO on epidemic control, which
was embodied in the prevention of the dengue fever last year.
He
said the WHO experts are scheduled to inspect Macao's preventive
measures and medical facilities.
Macao is currently immune from the disease, but the tourist city
has made cautious preventive measures and facilitated isolated SARS
medical treatment areas in three hospitals, which have a combined
treatment capacity of 400 patients, in case of an epidemic
attack.
Macao started this week to impose heavy fines on unsanitary
behaviors, such as spitting and littering. Over 500 police and
inspectors were mobilized to check enforcement of regulations for
maintaining urban hygiene.
(Xinhua News Agency April 8, 2003)
