Asia on alert over mysterious virus outbreak in China

Authorities step up airport screenings as illness triggers reminder of SARS

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A man wearing a mask uses a smartphone at Sultan Syarif Kasim II airport in Pekanbaru, Indonesia. The outbreak of a mysterious illness in China has put Asian airports on alert.   © AP

MICHELLE CHAN, Nikkei staff writer

HONG KONG -- Asian governments are stepping up precautionary measures to prevent an outbreak of a mysterious illness after Chinese health authorities reported 44 cases of a "viral pneumonia of unknown origin" amid concerns that the flu-like virus is linked to the highly contagious SARS virus that caused hundreds of deaths in Asia and elsewhere 17 years ago.

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