Steve Quayle News Alerts

March 31, 2003
By Julie Poppen, Rocky Mountain News

Three metro-area nurses just back from China have become Colorado's first suspected cases of the mysterious and deadly illness known as severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.

One of the three, a woman from Broomfield, remained quarantined Sunday at Boulder Community Hospital after showing signs of the illness.

But health officials said Sunday the woman's condition was stable and improving and that she may not have the virus, which has killed at least 57 people, mostly in Asia, and sickened 1,600 worldwide.

"It is a possible case, but it's looking more doubtful," said John Pickle, health officer for the city and county of Broomfield. "If (suspected patients) start to get better, they don't have it."

The other two women remain in their homes because their conditions didn't require hospitalization, said Dr. Ken Gershman, chief of the state's communicable diseases program.

There have been no SARS deaths in the U.S., but 62 suspected cases have been reported. The illness, which begins with flu-like symptoms that rapidly worsen, has spread from Southeast Asia to Europe and North America.

"Any new virus is concerning, but we're not panicked," Pickle said. "Anybody that travels overseas to those endemic countries should be cautioned about it. It starts like a common cold and develops into a pretty good pneumonia pretty fast."

Gershman said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded its health alert to include all of mainland China, in addition to parts of Vietnam and Singapore.

"Until (Saturday) night, these (nurses) were not considered suspect SARS cases," Gershman said. "Now they are."

There is not yet a way to test for the virus, but the CDC is working around the clock to create one, Gershman said.

The three nurses were part of a 34-person group of nurses and medical professionals from the metro area, as well as some family members, who made an 18-day trip to China.

The first part of the trip involved visits to medical facilities. The second involved visiting popular tourist spots in cities such as Beijing.

"The health care workers on the first part of the trip did visit some community health centers and some of them visited one or more hospitals," Gershman said. "But they were not in close patient contact. They were merely touring facilities."

All passengers returning from affected areas are given information about SARS and its symptoms when they return to the U.S.

All three nurses were evaluated some time after their return Tuesday. One was hospitalized Wednesday, Gershman said. She arrived at the hospital wearing a mask, Gershman said.

Precautions are being taken at Boulder Community to avoid contagion. Health care workers wear eye protection as well as a gown and gloves. The woman remains isolated in a room with negative air pressure, so any contaminated air can't flow outside her room.

Hospital officials declined comment.

"Obviously we have privacy issues, and we can't release anything," said Janice Blankenship, director of personnel.

In recent weeks, a 32-year-old California man was hospitalized at Denver's University Hospital after exhibiting SARS symptoms.

His condition improved and he was released. But his case, if confirmed as SARS, will be counted as a California case.

Colorado nurses so far are coping well with the possibility of handling the illness, said Beverly Douglas, president of the Colorado Nurses Association.

"Generally, their concern is no more than it is for any communicable disease," Douglas said. "Nurses go in knowing they're at risk."

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