Chinese officials said that until severe acute respiratory
syndrome, or SARS, is under control, its adoption bureau won't
match parents and children, and it won't issue notices permitting
parents already matched to pick up their babies.
China is by far the most popular foreign country for American
adoptions; it typically sends more than 100 babies a week to
the USA.
A notice on the Web site of the state-run China Center of
Adoption Affairs announcing the decision said it was made to
minimize travel in and out of the country as the nation works
to halt the rapid spread of SARS. China has reported 271 deaths
and 5,163 probable cases.
Families who already have specific approved dates to travel
will be permitted to do so, but thousands of others at various
points in the lengthy process are stuck for now, the agency
said.
Americans adopted 5,053 babies from China in 2002. The process,
which can take 18 months or more, is one of the longest in international
adoptions, but parents are lured by the easy availability of
healthy infants. Most are girls who are abandoned because, under
the government's population control laws, parents are permitted
only one child, and many prefer boys.
Hari and Sheryl Singh of Grand Rapids, Mich., had expected
to pick up a 17-month-old daughter next month. They have had
her photo and dossier since mid-March.
"I feel like I'm on a roller coaster," says Hari Singh, 52,
chairman of the economics department at Grande Valley State
University. "I am surprised the Chinese put a ban on it right
now, when it seems that the number of new cases in China is
declining."
Liz and David Collins of Portland, Ore., leave for China on
May 23 to pick up their daughter, 7-month-old Elowyn. Liz Collins,
36, a naturopathic physician and midwife, says the Chinese decision
does make her think twice about how safe the country is, "but
not enough to keep me from going."
"If it's a dangerous place, it's a dangerous place for my
kid to be," she says. "I can't imagine saying, 'I'm going to
leave her there so I can stay here and be safe.' "
The number of people killed by SARS worldwide climbed to at
least 602 Thursday. More than 7,600 have been infected.
Taiwan on Thursday reported 26 new infections - its biggest
one-day jump - bringing its total number of cases to 264, with
34 deaths. And more hospitals reported possible outbreaks, widening
the crisis.
Meanwhile, Britain on Thursday confirmed its first case of
SARS. The Health Protection Agency said the patient had recovered
and had not passed the infection to anyone.
No further public health action was required, it said. It
gave no personal details about the patient.
