Interim Travel Advisory: Mainland China and Hong Kong; Singapore; and Hanoi, Vietnam
(Updated April 18, 2003, 8:00 PM ET)

CDC has also issued a travel advisory, and health alert notices, which are being distributed at ports of entry to people returning from the three affected regions. CDC advises that people planning elective or nonessential travel to mainland China and Hong Kong; Singapore; and Hanoi, Vietnam may wish to postpone their trips until further notice.

CDC has been working with WHO to investigate and confirm the outbreaks of this severe form of pneumonia. The outbreaks appear to primarily involve health-care workers and close family contacts of suspect cases. Health authorities are on the alert for people who have specific symptoms of respiratory illness. The case definition for suspected SARS is subject to change, particularly with regard to travel history, as illness is reported in other geographic areas. The most current U.S. definition can be accessed at the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) case definition web page.

When potential cases of SARS are identified on a conveyance, officials should:

• Notify at the earliest possible time the nearest U.S. Public Health Service Quarantine Station.
• Alert the destination port of any passengers meeting the above criteria.
• Refer all arriving passengers who are symptomatic to health authorities for assessment and care.
• Inform passengers and crew that there is/was a suspect case of SARS on board.
• The passengers and crew should provide all their contact information for the subsequent 14 days to the port health authorities.

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has authorized the departure, on a voluntary basis, of family members at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. Because of health concerns in Vietnam about SARS, the current capacity of health-care facilities to accept and manage SARS cases, and the lack of readily accessible medical evacuation services, the Department of State warns U.S. citizens, particularly those traveling with children, to defer nonemergency travel to Vietnam at this time. The full text of this announcement is available.

DOS also recommends U.S. citizens consider deferring non-essential travel to China because of SARS and requirements by the Chinese government for hospitalization in China of anyone, including foreigners, exhibiting SARS-like symptoms. DOS has also authorized departure on a voluntary basis of non-emergency employees and families at the U.S. embassy in Beijing and consulates general in Chengdu, Shanghai, Shenyang, Guanzhou and Hong Kong SAR.

Additionally, DOS issued a public announcement for travel to Thailand in response to new measures taken by the Thai government for all passengers arriving from SARS affected areas and disembarking, regardless of whether they originated in, or transited through those areas. To view the full text of these announcements, see:

• State Department Travel Warning for China
• State Department Public Announcement for Thailand

For information about infection control in health-care and community settings, see these websites:

• http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/infectioncontrol.htm
• http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/hip/isolat/isolat.htm
• http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/hip/guide/infectcont98.htm
• http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/aerosolinfectioncontrol.htm

SARS updates will be posted as information becomes available.

Additional information on the outbreaks can be found at the following websites:

• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
• http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwr_wk.html
• http://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/