Here is an unfortunate travel story and not a funny one but it warrants being told given that the whole world is panicking over Swine Flu. But how would you feel if it were you or your family member who was under supervision for suspected infection?

There are several horrific experiences that come to mind when it comes to travel that sometimes make you wish you were back at home in the comforts of your own country. Whether you are an expat abroad, a backpacker or on vacation, the all time top worst things that could happen have to be either getting arrested, being involved in some natural disaster or getting seriously ill or injured. With the recent outbreak worldwide of Influenza A (H1N1), aka swine flu, authorities have been taking drastic measures to ensure everyone’s safety. Unfortunately, some people have gotten caught up in this whirlwind and fear more than others and it has lead to horrible results.

Photo: Ben Chau

After being accused during and after the SARS epidemic some years ago, Chinese officials have been extremely cautious regarding the current situation. What some may call unwarranted panic others warn is not enough. There are extra measures both China and other Asian countries have implemented to curb the epidemic.

For some, coming back into China was only annoying and required a 2-hour quarantine in Tokyo or Seoul. For others, a mere clearing of the throat or slight cough sent them into the walls and stethescoped hands of numerous Chinese doctors the second the airplane door was opened. While these things may annoy and make you late, they are nothing in comparison to being fully quarantined in a foreign country like the Mexicans who were quarantined inside China or those foreigners returning home from a vacation in China.

One Aussie man who works in Jakarta had been in China visiting his two daughters, who are both employed in Beijing, before heading to a conference in Hong Kong. He comes to China frequently to do consultancy and meetings etc and after living in China for 9 years previously is well familiar with traveling around in China and taking all precautions as a traveler.

Naturally, the initial Swine Flu scare was most obvious when reports that a plane coming from Mexico that stopped in Shanghai on its way to Hong Kong. As of late, an entire hotel in Hong Kong was put under immediate quarantine for several days.

A few days after returning to Jakarta, the Aussie man showed signs of illness when he began to present flu like symptoms of rash, aches, sore throat, cough, fever and shaking.

Unfortunately, the combination of symptoms and his return from China gave the Indonesian health authorities no choice but to follow protocol and pick him up in an ambulance and put him in quarantine.

With SARS and Avian Flu still fresh in collective Asian memory, he was taken to one of Jakarta's four public infectious diseases hospitals, swabbed, poked and prodded then placed in strict solitary isolation for a week as a "suspected A/H1N1 case" until test results eventually cleared him of the nasty virus.

Ironically enough, despite the doctors' panic, apparently a black board was enough to "secure" that the "isolation wing" from the rest of the hospital.

In the end, the ill-fated Aussie returned home to his family but needless to say that's a horrible experience that no one should have to endure. It’s bad enough not feeling well let alone being treated like E.T at a questionable hospital in a foreign country. Thankfully he is weak but stronger and Swine Flu free. Unfortunately, this can happen anywhere in the world obviously and there isn’t much we can do but keep on living our lives in the hopes that it too, shall pass.

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