Health officials in China's southern Guangdong province said the SARS virus could be stopped and could be treated. In a report from the director of Guangdong's health department, said the average daily new cases had dropped by more than 50% in the first week of April. He gave this assurance as he was treating three foreigners, two from canada and one from America, in Guangdong who were infected.
He said the number of cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in the province had dropped significantly after a peak in February when there were 688 patients. He said measures taken in helping Guangdong curb the spread of the disease were simple. They included ensuring proper air circulation in hospitals, requiring nurses and doctors to wear 12-14 layer gauze protective masks and disinfecting patient rooms three to four times a day. Hospitals that were well ventilated had fewer infections than others, he said.Treatments that have proven to be effective include early use of hormones, which caused patients fevers to quickly drop, and respirators, which helped patients rapidly recover. China is the worst affected nation in the global health crisis which has affected some 32 countries. Total cases in the country reached 1,268 with 53 deaths.
