A 77-year-old Hong Kong tourist on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway has died from altitude
sickness.
Railway Ministry spokesman Wang Yongping said on Wednesday the
man was hospitalized in Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, and diagnosed
with pulmonary edema before taking the train.
However, he discharged himself against the doctor's
recommendation and boarded the train to Xining, capital of Qinghai Province. He was taken ill en route
and died Aug. 1 on the way to a hospital in Anduo, a station on the
route, Wang told Xinhua.
"Tourists should not take the trip to Tibet by train unless they first have a
physical examination and get the doctor's approval," Wang said.
"Bad headaches and vomiting should be reported to railway staff
to ensure treatment is received as soon as possible."
The train, which started operating on July 1 and reaches
altitudes of over 5,000 meters, is equipped with extra oxygen
supplies for passengers and the double-glazed windows are covered
with anti-ultraviolet radiation film.
As of Aug. 29, the railway had carried 300,000 passengers to
Tibet, said Wang adding that all railway staff were in good health
despite long working hours and fatigue.
(Xinhua News Agency August 31, 2006)