Recovered severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients have
confided to Xinhua that SARS, though terrible, is not incurable.
Guo, 35, was working as a clerk in a software company in Shenzhen,
in south China's Guangdong Province, the area hardest hit by SARS.
A good friend of his girlfriend came down with a sustained fever
just before the Spring Festival which fell on February 1. Guo
helped her seek treatment. Unaware of the existence of SARS at that
time, he took no precautions.
Three days after the lunar New Year, Guo experienced discomfort,
fever and nausea and began to vomit. He went to a small clinic for
anti-fever injections, to no avail. Five days later, Guo was
examined by doctors at a local hospital affiliated with the elite
Peking University.
He
was diagnosed with SARS and placed in isolation in the Donghu
Hospital, a hospital especially designated to treat SARS cases in
Shenzhen.
As
his condition worsened, his fever climbed and he experienced
difficulty breathing, and he had to resort to the use of an
artificial respirator in the hospital.
Fortunately, he recovered in less than 35 days. He returned to work
a month ago.
Recalling the terrible days with SARS, Guo said if he had known
about the disease earlier, he would have sought treatment earlier
and recovered much sooner. SARS patients who are diagnosed at an
early stage recover in about ten days and are subsequently
discharged, Guo said.
Liang, a 33-year-old woman, was suspected of contracting SARS and
sent to the hospital with a fever on March 19. Her nephew, 18,
infected by her while helping to care of her son, was hospitalized
on March 27.
Rumors that the disease was incurable discouraged them, and they
sank into despair. Doctor Liu, in charge of their treatment,
continued to provide soothing treatment and persuaded them that
recovery was possible.
Health staff helped Liang find someone who looked after her nephew.
Doctors convinced the carer that no transmission would take place
as long as regular and proper sterilization were carried out.
Having seen that doctors who had daily contact with SARS patients
are safe, the carer was comfortable taking care of Liang's
nephew.
Liang and her nephew recovered in a short period of time. The
nephew said: "The health staff took care of us as if we were family
members during the worst period while others were shunning us.
There are no words to express my gratitude." He emphasized that
people should not believe street rumors and that recovery is
possible.
Dr. Zhou Boping, president of the Donghua Hospital, said the SARS
virus is a new member of the coronavirus family, known for its
crown-like shape when viewed under a microscope. The coronavirus is
the second most common cause of influenza.
Although this is the first time that the virus has appeared in
humans, the application of 70 percent concentrated ethanol can
effectively eradicate the virus, according to the doctor.
Zhou said SARS patients need not panic as they usually recover
within two weeks. A small minority is affected more severely, due
to delayed diagnosis or other complications, such as diabetes,
tumors or high blood pressure, which reduce immunity.
(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2003)