County on alert in Sars war (From Western Telegraph)

County on alert in Sars war

CANADIAN tourists visiting Pembrokeshire to join a cruise ship flew out from Canada amid 'exit screening' to prevent the spread of the killer Sars virus.

The group of around 40 visitors travelled to Pembroke Dock to board the Polar Star cruise ship on Saturday.

Adventure Canada, which arranged the Canadians' trip, confirmed that the passengers had flown out from various airports, including Toronto, which is still classed as an 'affected area'.

World Health Organisation advice not to travel to Toronto was lifted on April 30th, just before most of the group flew out.

Meanwhile, precautions have been put in place to prevent the virus spreading to Pembrokeshire and to ensure any suspected cases are dealt with quickly.

Stuart Moncur, director of planning and primary care with Pembrokeshire Local Health Board, said steps were being taken to increase awareness of the disease. He said: "We have seen in places like Vietnam, where awareness has been increased, that the virus has not had a chance to spread."

Posters have been placed around Pembrokeshire advising people who suspect they have been infected to stay in their homes and contact their GP or NHS Direct, rather than risk spreading the disease by going to hospital.

A notice at Milford Marina advises visitors who have travelled from affected areas to stay on their boats if they feel ill.

Milford marina manager, Tracey Coates, said: "It is very, very rare that we get anyone visiting the marina from that far away. I've been here for 12 years and I've never seen anyone come that far. Quite frankly, it's not within our cruising ground."

The majority of shipping entering the Milford Haven Waterway is also from closer to home than the 'danger areas' of the Far East.

Milford Haven Port Authority general manager, Ted Sangster, said the master of any ship arousing concern would be asked to indicate if there was a problem on board. He said Port Authority pilots, who are the first contact with shipping entering the Haven, had been provided with masks.

CAPTION

Mike Ashworth, port manager at Pembroke Port, meets Captain Mone, of the Polar Star cruise ship, which berthed at Pembroke Dock on Saturday. The ship's British passengers, who boarded the ship at Dartmouth, were treated to excursions to Pembroke Castle and the National Botanic Garden of Wales, at Middleton, near Carmarthen.Meanwhile, around 40 passengers from across Canada travelled by bus from Cardiff to join the cruise.

PICTURE: Martin Cavaney Photography.