As defence Minister George Fernandes returns from his week-long trip to China tomorrow, health officials will be waiting for him at the airport, looking for signs of SARS. Not only will they check Fernandes but also his 16-member delegation that includes the Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Shantonu Chowdhury, Defence Secretary Subir Dutta, Secretary Defence Production N.S. Sisodia and Additional Secretary Pratyush Sinha. Panic at madarsa Lucknow: Dcotors late last night dispelled fears of an outbreak of SARS in the Barabanki township of Uttar Pradesh, saying students of a local madarsa who had complained of cough and fever were suffering from common cold and viral fever. Rumours of a SARS outbreak spread like wildfire in the town after the students complained of cough, fever and bodyache — symptoms associated with SARS. The local administration, as a preventive measure, immediately set up an isolation ward at the district hospital and the state government rushed a team of doctors to the town. Most people remained indoors throughout the day while others wore masks or veils. Though the team of doctors has ruled out the presence of SARS after preliminary examination, blood samples of the ailing students have been sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for further examination and till the report arrives, the students have been quarantined. ENS Travelling in Flight OZ-347 from Thailand, the delegation will reach the Capital around 11.57 am. A two-member team from the airport health officials have been briefed to be present at the ceremonial lounge as the Minister deplanes. The screening, sources say, would be more stringent than what is done at airports. ‘‘We have to ensure that the delegation shows no symptoms of SARS. We have been asked to lay emphasis on checking fever and pulse rate,’’ said an official. In Shanghai, Fernandes today expressed willingness to be quarantined when he and his delegation return to India. ‘‘I will be most happy to be quarantined. My entire delegation is willing to be quarantined.’’
