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Quarantine lifted for foreign tourists in Tibet as A/H1N1 test proves negative

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-20 15:39

Tibet Autonomous Region lifted the quarantine on a foreign tourist group Wednesday as one of its members, previously suspected of having A/H1N1 influenza, was confirmed to have just an "seasonal flu", said a senior official.

Dekyi, vice chairwoman of the regional government of Tibet, told Xinhua that the quarantine ended at about 10:40 a.m. after tests conducted by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed the 42-year-old Italian woman was A/H1N1 negative and infected with A/H3N2 virus, a "seasonal flu".

Body temperature of the Italian tourist was 37.5 degrees Celsius Wednesday and her soar throat symptom alleviated, the ministry said in a circular Wednesday.

Tests on Monday carried out by Tibet's Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed the Italian was suspected of having A/H1N1 flu, leading to the quarantining of her and her group.

Jessical Ricci, an American tourist, said she was very nervous at the first, but very happy now as the tour could continue in Tibet, a wonderful place that she could visit only once in her life.

Another tourist from Ukraine who only identified him as Vlad, expressed his sincere gratitude to the Chinese government and the hotel staff for the excellent services during the quarantine period.

"The food and lodging was good, and the waiters and waitresses in the hotel were very kind," said Vlad.

Members of the group jointly bought a DVD player and sent it as a gift to Tenzin Dorje, a waiter in the hotel, for his kind service and help.

The hotel staff presented Hada, a white long silk scarf considered as a token of blessing, to the tourists after the quarantine was lifted.

The tourist group were getting ready for their planned journey in Tibet. Their first stop might be Tashilhunpo Monastery, a famous tourist destination in Xigaze Prefecture, before visiting Lhasa, the regional capital.

The Italian woman, whose name was not disclosed, was found to have a fever of 38.5 degrees Celsius and symptoms of a sore throat, stuffy nose and sweating at entry into Zham town, Xigaze, on Saturday and was then sent to the hospital.

The 23 members remained under medical observation in Caiyuan Hotel since then.

The ministry had dispatched six experts to double-check the case and the medical team was leaving Zham, bordering Nepal, for Lhasa.

The health bureau of Tibet has sent many masks, breathing machines and other medical materials to Zham for future disease control efforts, said Liu Weihua, director with the disease control department under the bureau.