U. warns of travel; virus case in Phila.

The University has urged its students, faculty and staff members to postpone any nonessential travel plans to mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam in the upcoming months in response to the recent outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which was first documented in that region.

The respiratory virus, which has pneumonia-like symptoms, has reportedly sickened 2,236 people around the world, including 85 cases being investigated in the United States.

The University's statement comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a similar warning on Friday.

SARS symptoms include a fever greater than 100.4 degrees, a dry cough, other respiratory irregularities, headache, muscle stiffness, loss of appetite, malaise, confusion, rash and diarrhea, according to the CDC. The CDC has not recommended any specific treatments at this point due to unknown etiology.

While reports say that there has been one isolated case of SARS confirmed in Philadelphia, according to Deputy Provost Peter Conn, "no one at Penn has been infected with the virus."

However, with reports of infection rising, concern over Penn's study abroad programs in East Asia have increased.

"We are monitoring the situation very carefully," Conn said. "We are in regular e-mail contact with the 15 or so undergraduate students currently studying in the countries where the advisory has been issued."

After discussion with medical authorities, "we have not advised the students to return, nor have we suspended the current program," Conn added. "The risk factors associated with air travel leaving those regions are higher than simply remaining in place."

Penn Abroad Director Geoffrey Gee emphasized the precautions that Penn is suggesting to the students in the advised countries.

"As a precaution, we are telling students to take their temperature two times a day, and to avoid crowded areas," Gee said. If any symptoms become apparent, he urged students to immediately go to a hospital.

Conn added that special surgical masks have been sent to the students to be worn as a further precaution.

Neil Fishman, a professor of infectious diseases at Penn, and the director of healthcare, epidemiology and infectious control at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, explained that it is extremely unlikely for a person who has not visited the at-risk countries or been in close contact with an infected person to become ill with SARS.

"Physicians have been instructed to be aware of the case definitions," or symptoms, Fishman added.

"I would advise that students do not travel to the infected regions," Fishman said.

Student Health Services Director Evelyn Wiener said that "SHS has established mechanisms to make students and community members know that the virus exists and to make them aware of the symptoms that should prompt immediate medical attention."

Coordinating with administrators and HUP, Wiener said that plans have been made in the event that a patient is suspected of having SARS.

"Isolation would occur as soon as possible," Wiener said.

Both Wiener and Fishman emphasized that for the vast majority of Penn students on campus, there is no real cause for concern, but they recognized the need for everyone to be aware of the illness and seek medical attention if they recognize any potential symptoms.

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