Sars experts consider threat ahead of Special Olympics

Irish health officials are today assessing plans to deal with the arrival of thousands of Special Olympics competitors, coaches and supporters this summer in the light of the continuing worldwide alert over severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Health officials are today assessing plans to deal with the arrival of thousands of Special Olympics competitors, coaches and supporters to Ireland his summer in the light of the continuing worldwide alert over severe acute respiratory syndrome.

The issue is being considered by a group of experts appointed by Minister for Health Micheál Martin to deal with the threat posed by the spread of the pneumonia-like sickness.

Athletes from scores of countries affected by the illness are due to take part in the Special Olympics in Ireland in June.

Those involved will begin flying in from the 165 countries on June 16, with the competition getting under way a week later.

Details of the opening ceremony are being announced in Dublin today.

More than 20 of the countries taking part have so far been caught up in the Sars alert.

Competitors from China – where the illness first appeared last November – are scheduled to stay in Bray, Co Wicklow, while those from Hong Kong are to stay with families in Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

Arklow is to play host to contestants from Singapore in Aklow, Co Wicklow, while the Canadian contingent are scheduled to stay in Enniscorthy.

A spokesman for the games said they were in constant contact with the Government’s health department and Ireland’s National Disease Surveillance Centre.

Today’s meeting of Sars experts coincided with unease in some medical quarters over Ireland’s ability to cope with the health menace, regardless of the Special Olympics.

The health department rejected claims that it was failing to implement a contingency plan, with a spokesman today insisting it would be able to deal with any outbreak.

GPs have claimed there is a lack of facilities to deal with any outbreak and that there is no effective strategy in place in case the virus arrives in Ireland.

The Irish Medical Organisation maintained there was no contingency plan in place in case of an outbreak in Ireland.

In addition, the situation has been complicated by industrial action by public health doctors who deal with measures to contain infectious diseases.

Dr Gerard Sheehan, infectious diseases consultant at Dublin’s Mater Hospital, said: “Compared to most other health care systems in the developed world, we in Ireland are inadequate in terms of the number of isolation rooms and the number of doctors in total.

“The system at the moment – without Sars – is close to 100% occupancy most of the time. It is very concerning that at some point over the next few months or the next year or two, we could have substantial Sars transmission within Ireland.”

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