Officials monitor Singapore Sars case

PHUKET: Officials are monitoring the progress of a new case of Sars in Singapore in case precautionary measures again become necessary for direct flights from the island-nation to Phuket. A 27-year-old post-graduate student in Singapore has contracted the virus and 25 other people who had been in contact with him have been quarantined. While the case brought back memories of the outbreak earlier this year that killed 900 people worldwide and devastated Asia’s tourism industry, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and health officials today played down the chances of another such crisis. The PM was quoted as saying that he thought the new, one-person outbreak would be quickly contained. Weerasit Raden, Chief of the Port Health Office at Phuket International Airport, told the Gazette that a return to constant monitoring of the health of arrivals was highly unlikely. However, he added, “We are watching the situation closely, just in case.” Phuket receives two direct Silk Air flights from Singapore every day and a Thai Airways flight every second day. During the Sars crisis earlier this year, Thailand detected two cases of the disease, both “imported” after the victims contracted it in other countries.