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China: Virus under control
13/02/2003 16:20 - (SA)
Guangzyhou, China - Officials in southern China's Guangdong province said on Thursday there were no new cases of a mysterious pneumonia virus that swept through the province killing five and hospitalising some 300.
"We have no information on new fatalities or new cases of atypical pneumonia," said a government spokesperson named Lu.
"The situation is under control and those afflicted with the disease are improving," she said.
Despite the assurances, panic buying due to fears of an epidemic appeared to spread from medical supplies and vinegar-based disinfectants to the hoarding of salt and vegetable oil.
The government earlier this week issued strict warnings over skyrocketing prices of medical supplies and on Thursday vowed to crack down on the profiteering of salt and cooking oil.
"Yesterday afternoon the hoarding of salt and vegetable oil appeared in parts of Guangdong province, including Guangzhou (provincial capital), Conghua, Huizhou and Donghuan," a statement said.
"This is completely the result of rumour-mongering."
The province maintained ample supplies of both salt and vegetable oil, it said. Authorities would "strike hard" at anyone seen profiteering from the products or "harming social stability or market order".
Citizens in Guangdong have been on edge since the government earlier this week began urging calmness over the pneumonia epidemic that could become fatal if untreated.
Meanwhile, hospitals in the Guangzhou area, where most of the cases have developed, said more and more people were being released after recovering from the disease that has largely been treated by antibiotics.
Meanwhile, police in Foshan city said a middle-aged couple were found dead in their apartment Wednesday, apparently due to aphyxsiation stemming from the boiling of a vinegar disinfectant.
"The cause of death was not due to the virus, but due to a lack of ventilation in their apartment while burning a coal stove to boil the vinegar," said a policeman at Foshan's Nanhai police station. - Sapa-AFP
- SAPA
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