Journalists warned on SARS reporting

The Pacific Asia Travel Association has warned the consumer media not to “fan the flames of public fear” when reporting on any new Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) cases. PATA president and chief executive Peter de Jong said : “This is a time for the media to show its professionalism by maintaining perspective and not hyping the issue. Because of misplaced hysteria 10 months ago, thousands of people in the Asia Pacific travel industry lost their jobs. This must not happen again.” So far the World Health Organisation has not issued any advisories relating to the suspected SARS case in Guangdong, southern China.