Speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria, Director-General of Health Department Ayanda Ntsaluba said "there are no change of the patient's situation, all the people around him are good, and we are monitoring the whole situation."

A 62-year-old businessman has been admitted to Pretoria East Hospital this week and the Gauteng Provincial Department of Health confirmed Monday night that the patient was a possible case of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

According to the chief operating officer of the patient, people can't confirm this as a definite case right now, but the businessman had been to Hong Kong.

Asked about whether the South African government would take special measures to quarantine people from Hong Kong, Ntsaluba said "at present stage, we just provide information to people, like if they feel the symptoms of the disease, where they can find the help."

Ntsaluba said the health department was asking airlines to take proper measures to protect the pilots and staffs in the flight between South Africa and countries and regions that have found the cases of SARS.

And he emphasized that all they have done was just what their counterparts in Hong Kong have done, and all these measures were in compliance with the suggestions of the World Health Organization (WHO).

An anonymous health official told Xinhua "I don't think SARS pose a serious threat to South Africa at present stage. Of course things may be different in two months, but now it is not a serious challenge."

The official even jokingly pointed fingers on media, saying "without your repeated reporting (this disease), I think we can discuss this more rationally."

(Xinhua News Agency April 11, 2003)