The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Department of Health have warned against travelling to Hong Kong and parts of China because of the spread of the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
In a statement the WHO said people travelling to Hong Kong and China's Guangdong Province, should "consider postponing all but essential travel. This updated travel advice comes as a result of new developments".
"This temporary recommendation will be reassessed daily as the epidemic evolves. The recommendation does not apply to passengers simply transiting through airports in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or Guangdong Province, China," the WHO statement says.
The global death toll from SARS rose sharply today with new fatalities in China, Canada, Thailand and Malaysia.
China said nine more people had died from the disease, bringing the worldwide toll to 75. Yesterday, two people in Canada, two in Thailand and one person in Malaysia died.
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A family wearing protective masks arrives at the York Region SARSAssessment Clinic, outside Toronto, Canada Photo: Reuters
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In response to fears over the spread of the disease the Department of Health here has advised citizens "not to undertake non-essential or elective travel to parts of China (i.e. Beijing, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Shanxi, Taiwan Province), Singapore, Hanoi and Toronto until further notice."
No cases of SARS have been identified in the State. Two patients with probable or suspected cases were identified, one in the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the other in the Western Health Board. No more cases have been identified since March 24th.
The disease has struck 2,300 people across the globe since it first emerged in southern China and Hong Kong last November. At least 43 people have died in China and nearly 1,200 have been infected by the virus, which can cause severe pneumonia and death in about four per cent of patients.
The WHO has reported confirmed SARS cases in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Canada, the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Britain, France, Ireland and Italy.
Health officials believe the SARS outbreak has been spread around the world by air travellers.
Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada have imposed sweeping quarantine measures.
The United States has planned to cut its diplomatic presence in Hong Kong and Guangzhou, while Australia advised its citizens not to travel to Canada and any affected Asian country.
At least 72 people in the United States have fallen victim to the mysterious Asian pneumonia, SARS, with the western state of California hardest hit by the epidemic. No deaths related to the disease have however been reported.