LAX REVEALS SARS PLAN AS ILLNESS HURTS AIR TRAVEL.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

Seeking to allay fears over the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome among travelers to Asia, LAX officials said Friday that they are taking steps to provide information and protection.

At a press conference held in a garden adjacent to the airport's Tom Bradley International Terminal, Mayor James Hahn said the disease - and fear of it - already has created some problems and a further downturn in travel.

``We want the traveling public to know we are taking steps to do what we can to inform and educate them about this disease,'' Hahn said. ``We are prepared to deal with any problems associated with it.''

U.S. health officials have said there are about 115 reported cases of SARS in this country, none of which has led to death. The disease is believed to have originated in mainland China and spread to other Asian nations.

Dr. Jonathan Fielding, head of the Los Angeles County Department of Health, said seven cases have been reported in Los Angeles, with six of those linked to Asian travel.

Two Ventura County residents who had recently returned from Asia sought treatment for SARS after developing symptoms of the virus. A Ventura County woman in her 60s who sought treatment for SARS last week was improving at her home Friday.

A man in his 40s was admitted to a hospital Thursday and was undergoing tests for the virus, said Marilyn Billimek, a public health nurse in the county's Communicable Disease Division.

Los Angeles International Airport has 25 flights a day arriving directly from Asia and another 25 from Asia that stop in other cities before arriving here.

Most of those flights are being screened for SARS cases, and all passengers are being provided with a notice explaining the symptoms of the disease. It is published in English, Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean.

In addition, Hahn said the Port of Los Angeles has instituted proceedings that require all ships to notify local and federal authorities of any possible SARS cases when they are 96 hours from port as well as regular check-in periods after that. The U.S. Coast Guard will board ships to care for anyone suffering from the disease.

Paul Green, chief operating officer at LAX, said there have been no incidents at the airport involving SARS cases but the facility is prepared to deal with it.

``What we would do is have the plane taxi up to the gate and hold passengers on the aircraft until we have medical personnel treat them,'' Green said. ``We think we can isolate it that way.''

Green said there has been some concern among passengers of airlines serving Asia as the planes are now only half-full, compared with 70 percent full, on average, before to the outbreak of the disease.

Hahn said the impact on airlines is unfortunate since a leery public has had to consider the Iraq war just 18 months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks sent the airline industry reeling.

``We were just starting to come back, and then we went on Orange Alert and that slowed travel. Now we have this,'' Hahn said.

Asia is considered a key tourist area for Los Angeles and Southern California, and the number of tourists from there has dropped dramatically over the past 18 months. The mayor recently led a delegation of officials and business leaders to Asia to try to promote this area.

Cathay Pacific Airways announced Friday that it was temporarily cutting flights to Asia because of the SARS scare and reduced bookings. In Los Angeles, this means flight service will be reduced to once a day.

Officials also are concerned about hoaxes and pranks, such as one Thursday when a passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight complained of SARS symptoms, forcing it to be isolated at LAX and passengers held up for several hours.

``It's unfortunate and we would book him for a crime if we could find one to charge him with,'' said Bernard Wilson, chief of the Airport Police Department.

Staff Writer Grace Lee contributed to this report.