Moscow Starts Prompt Metro Cleanup

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, May 08, 2003

Moscow Starts Prompt Metro Cleanup

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Moscow's chief doctor on Wednesday ordered health workers to start disinfecting the metro and other public transportation in an attempt to prevent the deadly SARS virus from creeping into the capital.

A 24-hour hotline to field calls related to severe acute respiratory syndrome has been opened, and the Health Ministry is printing millions of brochures outlining measures that Moscow residents can take to avoid contracting the virus.

No SARS cases have been confirmed in Russia, but more than 20 people showing the flu-like symptoms have been hospitalized.

The Health Ministry on Wednesday was considering placing stiffer restrictions on travel to China.

"Only Chinese citizens should be allowed to leave and only Russian citizens should be allowed in," Deputy Health Minister Gennady Onishenko, who heads the State Health Inspectorate, said on Ekho Moskvy radio.

He said he could not rule out the possibility that Russia might close its border with China, but noted such a measure would harm the economy.

Moscow's chief doctor, Nikolai Filatov, said the metro and all other forms of public transportation would be completely disinfected Wednesday night and that a cleanup will take place once a week. He said an anti-viral disinfectant will be sprayed in metro stations, buses, trolleybuses and trams during off-hours.

Meanwhile, Moscow train stations and airports may soon be equipped with infrared camera devices that can measure the temperature of a human body from a distance of 50 meters, the Vremya Novostei newspaper reported Wednesday. Such devices are being used in Japan.

Aeroflot has cut back flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Source: The Moscow Times

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