IRISH SARS FEAR; Man treated in isolation ward.

Byline: PAT FLYNN

A POSSIBLE Irish Sars victim was being treated by doctors in an isolation unit last night.

The man - who recently returned from a holiday in China - was admitted on Saturday with a "high fever".

Staff at Ennis General Hospital put him on 24-hour watch and were planning tests to rule out a fresh outbreak of the deadly virus.

It killed 900 people last year in an epidemic that hit 29 countries from China to Canada, putting whole areas in a state of quarantine.

There is no known cure for the condition.

The Mid Western Health Board yesterday said that a patient is being monitored and will have tests.

In a brief statement, the board added: "The man recently returned from the Far East and is being treated appropriately for his clinical condition."

Health sources admitted every precaution was being taken to nip the infection at source if it was Sars.

One source said: "He will continue to be treated appropriately until it is confirmed what this patient is suffering from.

"It may not be Sars, but he does have many of the symptoms associated with the disease."

Dr Paul McKeown of the National Disease Surveillance Centre, which must be informed of any Sars cases, said: "The NDSC has not been formally notified of a possible Sars case but the Mid Western Health Board has discussed the case with us.

"There is nothing unduly out of the ordinary in this case.

"The man was in South East Asia and has a very high fever but all the indications are that this is just a routine investigation."

Until an exact diagnosis is made, health chiefs are reluctant to comment in detail.

Meanwhile, the infection is being classed as a "pyrexia (mysterious fever) of undetermined origin".

The source added: "Every precaution is being taken in accordance with protocols established to deal with a possible Sars case.

"The patient is in isolation and will remain there until doctors are sure what is wrong with him."

CAPTION(S):

TREATMENT: Ennis General Hospital