The ban on competitors from five countries participating in the Special Olympics should remain in place, the expert group advising the Department of Health on the risk of SARS decided this evening.
In a short statement following a meeting of the group under the chairmanship of Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jim Kiely, the group said it had considered a document from the Secretary of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine and had not changed their risk assessment.
The document did not did not represent the views of the Royal College of Physicians or the Faculty of Public Health Medicine.
The information "was considered in detail" by the group which concluded that the ban on Special Olympians should stay in place.
However, it was agreed that the expert group would meet with the Special Olympics organising committee at an agreed date.
The group considered the latest update on areas affected by SARS, the issue of large groups travelling from infected countries and clinical guidance in relation to the management of the disease.
The Committee also welcomed the Philippines being withdrawn from the World Health Organisation's list of affected countries.