WHEELING MAN HAS SARS SYMPTOMS - Traveled To Canada

(05/25/2003)
You can put this in the "If I didn't have enough to worry about" department.

A 68 year-old Wheeling man has been listed with a "probable case" of the SARS Virus.

It would be the first case in West Virginia.

The man came to the emergency room at Wheeling Hospital this past Thursday.

Ohio County Health Department Medical Director Doctor William Mercer says he had all of the classic symptoms including a fever, cough, shortness of breath and a travel history to Toronto.

Dr. Mercer says what makes this case more probable is the man has pneumonia.

Dr. Mercer says it's unlikely this case will be a confirmed SARS case. He says with the man's age there are other reasons he could get this sick.

Blood tests have been sent to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta.

The results should be known in about three weeks if the man has SARS.

The health department is following up with 17 people who came in contact with the man.