Guo, 35, was working as a clerk in a software company in Shenzhen, in south China's Guangdong Province, the area hardest hit by SARS. A good friend of his girlfriend came down with a sustained fever just before the Spring Festival which fell on February 1. Guo helped her seek treatment. Unaware of the existence of SARS at that time, he took no precautions.

Three days after the lunar New Year, Guo experienced discomfort, fever and nausea and began to vomit. He went to a small clinic for anti-fever injections, to no avail. Five days later, Guo was examined by doctors at a local hospital affiliated with the elite Peking University.

He was diagnosed with SARS and placed in isolation in the Donghu Hospital, a hospital especially designated to treat SARS cases in Shenzhen.

As his condition worsened, his fever climbed and he experienced difficulty breathing, and he had to resort to the use of an artificial respirator in the hospital.

Fortunately, he recovered in less than 35 days. He returned to work a month ago.

Recalling the terrible days with SARS, Guo said if he had known about the disease earlier, he would have sought treatment earlier and recovered much sooner. SARS patients who are diagnosed at an early stage recover in about ten days and are subsequently discharged, Guo said.

Liang, a 33-year-old woman, was suspected of contracting SARS and sent to the hospital with a fever on March 19. Her nephew, 18, infected by her while helping to care of her son, was hospitalized on March 27.

Rumors that the disease was incurable discouraged them, and they sank into despair. Doctor Liu, in charge of their treatment, continued to provide soothing treatment and persuaded them that recovery was possible.

Health staff helped Liang find someone who looked after her nephew. Doctors convinced the carer that no transmission would take place as long as regular and proper sterilization were carried out.

Having seen that doctors who had daily contact with SARS patients are safe, the carer was comfortable taking care of Liang's nephew.

Liang and her nephew recovered in a short period of time. The nephew said: "The health staff took care of us as if we were family members during the worst period while others were shunning us. There are no words to express my gratitude." He emphasized that people should not believe street rumors and that recovery is possible.

Dr. Zhou Boping, president of the Donghua Hospital, said the SARS virus is a new member of the coronavirus family, known for its crown-like shape when viewed under a microscope. The coronavirus is the second most common cause of influenza.

Although this is the first time that the virus has appeared in humans, the application of 70 percent concentrated ethanol can effectively eradicate the virus, according to the doctor.

Zhou said SARS patients need not panic as they usually recover within two weeks. A small minority is affected more severely, due to delayed diagnosis or other complications, such as diabetes, tumors or high blood pressure, which reduce immunity.

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2003)