CDC Eases Travel Notifications for Singapore and Hong Kong

WASHINGTON, D.C. and ATLANTA -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has removed the travel alert for Singapore and has downgraded the traveler notification for Hong Kong from a travel advisory to a travel alert.

The change in travel notification status for Singapore occurred because more than 30 days (or three SARS incubation periods) have elapsed since the date of onset of symptoms for the last case in that area.

The status change for Hong Kong comes because:

· Currently, SARS transmission in Hong Kong is limited to a small number of specific settings through direct person-to-person spread with no evidence of ongoing community transmission.

· The date of onset of symptoms of the last reported case without a known source of exposure occurred before April 30, 2003. More than 20 days, or two SARS incubation periods, have elapsed since that date.

· Monitoring by the Ministry of Health of Hong Kong indicates that there are no new outbreaks of illness in Hong Kong, and there is adequate surveillance for SARS in place.

Source: CDC