A loophole in international quarantine procedures disclosed during the SARS crisis.

Full Abstract

This study describes a loophole in the international quarantine system during the recent Asian severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak. Specifically, that of travelers disguising symptoms of respiratory tract infection at international airports, in order to board aircraft to return to their home countries-notwithstanding the infection risks this involves to others. High medical fees for treatment to non-residents in epidemic areas were found to be the main cause for this behaviour. This phenomenon revealed a loophole in the control mechanisms of international quarantine procedures, letting travelers carrying a highly contagious virus slip by undetected and causing possible multi-country outbreaks of communicable diseases. Clinical evidence collected from medical records at medical centers can highlight this oversight.

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Author information

Author/s: Lee, Chi-Wei (CW); Tsai, Yen-Shuo (YS); Wong, Tai-Wai (TW); Lau, Chor-Chiu (CC);

Affiliation: The Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences of the Chang Gung University, Taiwan. chiweilee1964(-atsign-)yahoo.com

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Travel medicine and infectious disease (Travel Med Infect Dis), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Jan; vol 4 (issue 1) : pp 22-8

Dates: Created 2006/08/04; Completed 2007/06/08;

PMID: 16887721, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Aged
Aircraft
Child, Preschool
Deception
Disease Outbreaks - prevention & control
Fees, Medical
Female
Health Care Costs
Humans

Internationality
Male
Middle Aged
Quarantine - psychology; standards
Questionnaires
Risk
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - economics; epidemiology; prevention & control; transmission
Taiwan - epidemiology
Travel
World Health

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