China: The Migrations of Fear

That exodus, which has been strongly discouraged by the government, is aggravated by the fact that many of those that escape to the countryside return – stirring a potential contagion pot. A survey conducted by the Agriculture Ministry in 170 villages showed about one in 10 migrant workers had recently returned home, with the itinerant force returning to cities as the number of new SARS cases levels off or declines.

Authorities have reported 27 news cases of SARS infection in Beiging – the lowest for the capital since daily figures began appearing on April 20. The latest released overall figures for the mainland is 52 new cases of infection.

The swinging door phenomenon has fueled worries about the proportion of new cases showing up in rural provinces. Farmers and migrant workers, for instance, already account for a third of the 200 confirmed cases in Hebei.

Acting Health Minister Wu Yi described the predominantly rural northern China as a major battlefield, adding, "Success in the region is of crucial importance to winning the fight against Sars nationwide."

Meanwhile, authorities have instituted policies to help keep migrant workers in cities, offering tax concessions to restaurants and tour operators to discourage them from letting go workers, who then must seek employment in the countryside.

To make the flight to work on outlying farms less attractive, rural provincial authorities have been organizing villagers to help each other in the harvest season -- relieving the shortage of farmhands.

Despite such measures, however, authorities are fearful of another wave of exiting migrant workers from next month as the wheat harvest season begins. So far, the official line is that SARS has not yet become a problem in rural China. Despite the optimism, rural medical facilities are being improved.

Some of these preparatory measures in the countryside – such as new facilities for SARS treatment and hospital waste disposal, have had the undesirable effect of triggering riots. Officials lay the blame on insufficient communication with local residents.

There were 155 confirmed SARS cases in rural areas from April 26 to May 12. A breakdown of SARS patients by profession ranked rural migrants and farmers sixth. Health-care workers remain the most susceptible.