Taoiseach hopes for solution to SARS risk prohibition

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, yesterday said he hoped a solution could be found to allow athletes from SARS-affected countries participate in the Special Olympics.

Mr Ahern said a number of proposals were being examined by officials, but that the Government would have to be "totally guided" by the Department of Health's SARS expert group.

"I hope those people who are borderline cases, and waiting to see if they'll fulfil the World Health Organisation's guidelines, will meet them and people won't be disappointed," Mr Ahern said.

At present teams from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Toronto will be asked not to come to the games unless they are removed from the WHO's list of infected areas.

The Special Olympics organisers and the Chinese government have put forward proposals based on the isolation of athletes for between 10 and 14 days, together with regular medical checks and monitoring.

Department of Health officials were in discussion with the WHO yesterday over these measures and a decision on whether to admit the athletes is expected early next week.

The number of SARS cases has fallen off dramatically in Asia, with Hong Kong and Singapore hopeful they will be removed from the list of infected regions.

The Philippines was removed from the list last week.

Despite Taiwan reporting 50 new probable cases of SARS and five more deaths yesterday, WHO officials said the number of cases in the country was still on a downward trend.

Hong Kong's special representative to the European Union, Mr Christopher Jackson, said officials had sought to reassure the Irish health authorities that its athletes would be free of SARS by outlining details of its proposed quarantine measures

Mr Jackson said this would include isolation at a sports institute, regular health checks for athletes and specially reserved training facilities.

"We're only getting one or two cases a day now. We understand the need to reassure the Irish people and have contacted the Department of Health via videophone to discuss our precautions," Mr Jackson said.

The chief executive of the Special Olympics, Ms Mary Davis, yesterday said she believed the "door has not been closed yet" on athletes from SARS affected countries being allowed to travel to next month's games.

Ms Davis said she was hopeful the expert group and WHO officials would reconsider the measures outlined by the SARS-affected countries.

"I believe appropriate measures can be taken which would ensure that each and every person who comes here is SARS-free.

"We don't want the games to be responsible for bringing SARS to Ireland and I don't believe they will either," she said.

She said that whatever outcome was, Special Olympics officials and volunteers would have to go about preparing for the games.

"We still have a lot of work to do, we are just 17 days away, and we have to put everything in place to ensure we're prepared for the 6,000-odd athletes that are going to be coming here anyway," Ms Davis said.