F1 Journalist Suffering from Deadly SARS?

By Phil Huff
April 3 2003

According to Autosport.com, a female British journalist is suspected of suffering from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, the sometimes deadly pneumonia-like virus which is sweeping through areas of Asia, on arrival in Sao Paulo to cover this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos.

The 42-year-old woman, who has not been named, had been in Malaysia to cover the Sepang race a fortnight ago. The first suspected death from SARS in Malaysia was reported today (Wednesday), and the worldwide death toll from the virus stands at 78.

The World Health Organisation has said that SARS will prove fatal in only 4 percent of cases, and that the majority of sufferers recover a week after being infected. Over 2,000 people have been diagnosed with the illness, which can be spread by sneezing or coughing.

A spokesman for the Sao Paulo state health authority said: "The patient has been isolated and, for the moment, we do not have any news of other cases."

BAR-Talk is speculating here, but we only know of one person fitting that profile, and that's ITV's Louise Goodman. Whoever it is, we wish them the very best.