HEALTH bosses are assuring the people of Hampshire that contingency plans are in place in the event of an outbreak of the potentially-fatal Sars virus in the county.

Fears were raised after a number of children who had flown back to the UK from school breaks in the Far East were admitted to a special quarantine camp on the Isle of Wight.

Also, students from Winchester College who had been back home in the Far East over the Easter break were told by staff to stay at home and not come back for the start of term.

However, hospital chiefs say they are prepared for an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, symptoms of which include fever, sore throat, dry cough and breathing difficulties.

Dr Mike Barker, director of communicable diseases for Southampton, said the situation was under control in the city regarding Sars.

He said: "At the moment there's no evidence of any ongoing transmission in this country so the only risk is just from people who've come back from countries where the virus is spreading.

"One of the key things that people forget is that people are not infectious until they become ill.

"Even if somebody has come back from Hong Kong or wherever, there's no reason to treat them differently if they're well."

Dr Barker said that all GPs in the area had been briefed as to what action to take if contacted by a person with the symptoms, and that hospitals were also prepared.

He said: "It's something that we very much hope is not going to become more common in this country, but we're very much prepared for it if it does."

Marilyn Kay, spokeswoman for Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, said staff were used to seeing complex, complicated cases.

She said: "We are geared up to treat serious, complex and complicated conditions.

"Therefore we would accept patients with that sort of problem in the same way that we would accept patients with similar problems. We are always prepared for serious illnesses."

Staff at Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare Trust are also prepared and have ordered in special, tighter-fitting masks for staff.

Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust staff have been fully briefed about the disease's symptoms and have been reading up on guidance issued by the Department of Health.

Spokeswoman Pat Forsyth said: "We hope we don't see any cases. If we do we don't know what will happen, but we are certainly alert to the fact that it could be around."

Worldwide, the Sars death toll currently stands at 235, with an estimated 4,000 more people infected.