India said today it has released from quarantine 97 foreigners isolated in the southern city of Secundrabad after two Australians among them were suspected to be suffering from SARS.
Doctors certified 74 foreigners, mostly Australians at a youth hostel, and 23 more at a guest house nearby, were not suffering from Severe Acute RespiratorySyndrome (SARS).
India had reported 20 SARS cases, based on laboratory tests, but the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the country free of SARS last Thursday, saying it relied on symptoms to diagnose the disease as tests were not reliable.
Meanwhile, Canada has reported another slighteasing in the possible number of cases of SARS. Health Canada reported the number of "active SARS cases inCanada" had declined in the past 24 hours by one, with one"suspected" case being cleared.
Of the "active" cases, 33 are considered "probable" and 37 aresuspect.
The government agency defines "active" as those hospitalized,currently ill at home, or under investigation.
The biggest single day improvement was reported on Friday whenHealth Canada reported 71 active SARS cases, including 34 probableor confirmed cases, and 38 suspect cases. This was down from the 94active cases reported on Thursday.
In yesterday's report, Health Canada said 376 probable or suspectcases of SARS had been reported in the country, including 233 whohad been discharged or were being kept at home, since the diseasewas first detected in March.
AFP