RUSSIA—A Chinese woman possibly died from suspected Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) on a Moscow-bound train, Russian media reported on the morning of April 15.
A Chinese woman, Yang Cuiqin, died suddenly on a train travelling from the fareast Russian city of Blagoveshchensk to Moscow. The early reports said the 23-year-old woman probably died from SARS, according to a preliminary diagnosis.
The train stopped in Russia’s central city Kirov and about 60 other possibly infected people were sent to the local hospital.
However, later on April 15, most Russian media reported that the preliminary diagnosis indicated that the possible cause of death was hand, foot, and mouth disease, and that detailed test results would be available within 7 to 10 days.
The Russia news agency Interfax said, “A medical examination reportedly revealed pulmonary edema, and there is a suspicion of atypical pneumonia.”
The chief official of Russia’s infectious disease watchdog, Gennady Onishchenko, told Russia’s National TV Station Vesti-24, “So far there’s no evidence that proves the Chinese woman had died from SARS. We are in full control of the local area, so there’s no need for the Russian people to panic.”
He also said that the carriage carrying the Chinese woman, and the two carriages preceding and behind, had been disconnected and isolated to undergo thorough disinfection, including the drinking water and toilets system.
The rest of the train continued on its way to Moscow.
Russian media have also given contradictory reports regarding the autopsy of the deceased female. A local Kirov official said the autopsy could not be performed as the female was a foreign citizen, however Onishchenko said that the autopsy was being conducted.
