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American Morning

SARS Victim?

Aired April 22, 2003 - 09:36   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: SARS has claimed the lives of at least 235 people in 25 countries, according to the World Health Organization. No deaths have been reported in the United States, but there are dozens of suspected SARS cases in the U.S. Californian Alan Hoskin is one of those people who may have had the disease. He got sick after returning from a 10-day trip, and doctors suspect that he may have contracted SARS.
Hoskin, who is in Sacramento, spoke with me earlier this morning. I asked him how he thought he was exposed to the disease when he was in China.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALAN HOSKIN, AMERICAN SARS VICTIM: While I was in my hotel, I received a massage from a lady there and she had the flu. She had sniffles and she had cough, and that was the only time I was exposed over there to anybody that I recall that was showing any symptoms of what could have been SARS.

COLLINS: So after your 10-day trip and you got home and things did not seem right to you, what exactly were the symptoms that you had?

HOSKIN: Immediately upon my return I -- within about three days, I was sick with what I thought was just a really bad flu virus that I picked up while I was over in China, something I was not accustomed to being exposed to. I was lethargic, had a cough, fever, sneezing. I pretty much was lying around for about a week, and then I got a little bit better, and then I got sick again about a week later, and I was sick all the way up through the 22nd of March, and on the 18th is when I went to the hospital.

COLLINS: But you didn't go to the doctor before the hospital -- why not?

HOSKIN: I don't do doctors very well. I only go in case I needed to. And the second time I was sick around the 18th of March, I was encouraged by family to go see the doctor, because the timeline and where I had been was all starting to come out in the news, and it was very possible I may have been exposed to something over in China.

COLLINS: Now when your doctor actually told you that there was a possibility you could have SARS, what was your reaction?

HOSKIN: I had the "no, not me" reaction, but at the same time, I was concerned. I was scared for myself. I was concerned for my children, and then for Angela, who was still over in China.

COLLINS: Let me ask you this, we know that recently China has admitted that the outbreak of SARS is far worse than they first originally reported. When you heard news of that, how did that make you feel? Were you angry?

HOSKIN: I was angry, but I'm not surprised. I really enjoyed my trip over there, but the people that I met seemed to really be -- they're in their own little world over there.

COLLINS: Alan, I know you first made this trip to China, because you been corresponding with a woman that you wanted to get to know better and actually meet in person. Now, do you have concerns for her safety and her health right now? I know that she's still there.

HOSKIN: Yes, I'm concerned for Angela's health. I have a hard time communicating with her by phone, because she's always working or she's out, and so I cannot keep track of what she's doing. But I know that she has told me she's healthy, and she's fine and she is taking care of herself. But it scares me to death that she's over there and I can't get her out of there right now. I'd like to fly over there and grab her and bring her back and keep her safe.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: All right. Alan Hoskin.

HOSKIN: says he won't know whether or not he definitely has SARS for at least a couple more weeks. They're still doing tests to find out if it was.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired April 22, 2003 - 09:36   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: SARS has claimed the lives of at least 235 people in 25 countries, according to the World Health Organization. No deaths have been reported in the United States, but there are dozens of suspected SARS cases in the U.S. Californian Alan Hoskin is one of those people who may have had the disease. He got sick after returning from a 10-day trip, and doctors suspect that he may have contracted SARS.
Hoskin, who is in Sacramento, spoke with me earlier this morning. I asked him how he thought he was exposed to the disease when he was in China.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALAN HOSKIN, AMERICAN SARS VICTIM: While I was in my hotel, I received a massage from a lady there and she had the flu. She had sniffles and she had cough, and that was the only time I was exposed over there to anybody that I recall that was showing any symptoms of what could have been SARS.

COLLINS: So after your 10-day trip and you got home and things did not seem right to you, what exactly were the symptoms that you had?

HOSKIN: Immediately upon my return I -- within about three days, I was sick with what I thought was just a really bad flu virus that I picked up while I was over in China, something I was not accustomed to being exposed to. I was lethargic, had a cough, fever, sneezing. I pretty much was lying around for about a week, and then I got a little bit better, and then I got sick again about a week later, and I was sick all the way up through the 22nd of March, and on the 18th is when I went to the hospital.

COLLINS: But you didn't go to the doctor before the hospital -- why not?

HOSKIN: I don't do doctors very well. I only go in case I needed to. And the second time I was sick around the 18th of March, I was encouraged by family to go see the doctor, because the timeline and where I had been was all starting to come out in the news, and it was very possible I may have been exposed to something over in China.

COLLINS: Now when your doctor actually told you that there was a possibility you could have SARS, what was your reaction?

HOSKIN: I had the "no, not me" reaction, but at the same time, I was concerned. I was scared for myself. I was concerned for my children, and then for Angela, who was still over in China.

COLLINS: Let me ask you this, we know that recently China has admitted that the outbreak of SARS is far worse than they first originally reported. When you heard news of that, how did that make you feel? Were you angry?

HOSKIN: I was angry, but I'm not surprised. I really enjoyed my trip over there, but the people that I met seemed to really be -- they're in their own little world over there.

COLLINS: Alan, I know you first made this trip to China, because you been corresponding with a woman that you wanted to get to know better and actually meet in person. Now, do you have concerns for her safety and her health right now? I know that she's still there.

HOSKIN: Yes, I'm concerned for Angela's health. I have a hard time communicating with her by phone, because she's always working or she's out, and so I cannot keep track of what she's doing. But I know that she has told me she's healthy, and she's fine and she is taking care of herself. But it scares me to death that she's over there and I can't get her out of there right now. I'd like to fly over there and grab her and bring her back and keep her safe.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: All right. Alan Hoskin.

HOSKIN: says he won't know whether or not he definitely has SARS for at least a couple more weeks. They're still doing tests to find out if it was.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com