DOCTORS responsible for dealing with infectious diseases say they are ready if the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) comes to Kent.

As fear of the deadly virus sweeps the globe, the Kent Health Protection Unit (HPU), which monitors and reacts to all infectious diseases, says it has tried and tested responses to diseases such as SARS.

The unit's clinical director Dr Mathibalasingham Chandrakumar has written to all schools and GPs in Kent passing on national advice regarding the disease.

The letter advises that anyone who has been to an infected country should carry on as normal unless they have been in contact with a case or develop symptoms which include a high temperature, dry cough and difficulty breathing.

If they have been in contact with the virus they must be quarantined for 10 days in case the disease develops.

A spokesman for the unit said: "Whenever any communicable disease, such as meningitis or TB, is identified in Kent we call together an outbreak team made up of relevant sectors of the health service to discuss the case, assess risk and look at how to best protect people.

"In the same way, if the SARS virus was identified in Kent we would put these necessary precautions in place."

Cobham Hall School, in Cobham, has a large number of international students including some from infected regions, such as Hong Kong, and is following the HPU's guidelines.

School spokesman Diana Usher said: "We've been speaking with the school doctor and our health centre carried out checks when the girls returned after Easter to be extra sure.

"We also advised the handful of girls who came back from those areas to return 10 days early just in case, so we're taking all the precautions we can."

So far there have been six probable cases of SARS in the UK, but no one has died.

April 29, 2003 13:00