Asian students will return to Aberystwyth this weekend

The Department of Health's current stance on students returning to the UK from areas affected by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) is they should continue their education if they are symptom-free.

According to a University of Wales, Aberystwyth spokesman, only a "small number" of the 170 or so Asian students at the college returned to the Far East at the end of last term.

No one from the university was available to give the exact number of students who would return to Aberystwyth by next week.

Anyone who thinks they are suffering from the disease would contact their GP rather than us at the University Dr Ann Rhys, university medical officer

But university officials will closely monitor the health of these students when they return to Aberystwyth for the start of term next Tuesday.

Dr Ann Rhys, the university's medical officer, said the institution were following guidelines issued by Carmarthen-based Communicable Diseases Centre, which is part of the National Public Health Service for Wales.

Quarantine

"Those coming from known Sars-affected areas should consider altering their travel plans for the time being," said the guideline.

"Anyone returning from a Sars-affected area falling ill with a flu-like illness within 10 days of their departure should go into voluntary quarantine and ask their doctor to visit them."

Dr Rhys said: "Anyone who thinks they are suffering from the disease would contact their GP rather than us at the University.

Most of the Far East students stayed in Aberystwyth

"But they should not go to the surgery but quarantine themselves and call out the GP."

An university meeting, involving Dr Rhys and other officers will be held next Tuesday, when the summer term starts.

Contact

The university's spokesman said China and the Far East was a very important market for all British higher education establishments.

He added that the university's Vice-Chancellor, Derec Llwyd Morgan, had planned to visit China in September but that visit was now under review.

More than 240 people have died from Sars since last November and it is believed that prolonged close contact with an infected person poses the highest risk of spread.

According to the Department of Health, the majority of cases have occurred in hospital workers who have cared for Sars patients and close family members of these patients.

Current information suggests that the syndrome is not common in children and young people.