The World Health Organization (WHO) expert team Sunday made its
first visit to a quarantined village in northern China's Hebei
Province.
The province, which is home to a good portion of Beijing's
"floating population" of migrant workers, has attracted the WHO's
attention due to its growing numbers of severe acute respiratory
syndrome (SARS) cases in the past few weeks.
As
of 10:00 a.m. Sunday, Hebei had reported 166 SARS cases, and eight
fatalities.
James Maguire, a member of the WHO expert team inspecting the SARS
prevention and treatment work in the province, entered Beihou
village, 60 kilometers from the provincial capital of
Shijiazhuang.
The village, with a population of about one thousand, has been
isolated since May 1, when three villagers were diagnosed as
suspect SARS patients.
During the 15-day isolation period, villagers were recommended to
stay home and refrain from visiting neighbors, a local official
said.
Walking through the quiet village, Maguire said he was impressed by
how well the villagers were collaborating with the system. "It's
their personal responsibility that makes the system work," he
said.
A
local official told Maguire that all the villagers' daily
necessities during isolation were being taken care of by the county
government free of charge. "Thus far, we have provided over3,000
kilograms of eggs to the village."
The official also showed Maguire the record detailing the amounts
of food the local government had provided to the village, including
vegetables, salt, oil, sugar and spices.
Noting that the wheat harvest was approaching, Maguire asked what
would happen to the villagers' crops.
"That matter will be taken care of by the county agriculture
department," answered one local official.
The official also told Maguire that a medical team would be
visiting the village on a daily basis to handle any medical
emergencies arising during the isolation period.
"To date, we have distributed 13,000 yuan worth of medicine and
other materials such as masks and thermometers free of charge to
the villagers," said the official.
"In addition, the staff from the epidemic prevention station
disinfect the village once a day," said the official, adding that
there is also a hot-line available to the villagers for
psychological consultations.
At
the end of the inspection, in response to a request for
recommendations made by the local officials, Maguire said, "you
really should be proud of your people, including medical staff,
officials and villagers, for their collaboration and
dedication."
The SARS inspection mission to Hebei Province is the fourth of its
kind that the WHO has conducted in China, following those made to
Guangdong, Beijing and Shanghai. It was also during this tour that
the WHO team conducted its first field inspection of SARS
monitoring and reporting networks in Chinese rural areas.
(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2003)