Travel Restricted in Vietnam Over SARS

March 24, 2003

Travel Restricted in Vietnam Over SARS
The U.S. State Department advised Americans on Saturday to reschedule nonessential travel to Vietnam after a mysterious flu-like illness called severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, has sickened hundreds of people.

According to CNN.com, the State Department decided to suspend official travel to Vietnam until further notice because of a lack of suitable medical facilities. The Centers for Disease Control also issued an advisory suggesting that travelers planning nonessential trips to Hong Kong, Guangdong, or Hanoi should consider a delay.

Suspected cases of SARS have been reported in Canada, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Slovenia, Britain, Switzerland and Spain. In addition, 22 suspected cases of the illness are being investigated in the United States. However, the central focus remains in Asia, where cases have been reported in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan.

For more on this story, visit CNN.com.For frequent updates on SARS, go to CDC.gov.