Damage in the delta

China's manufacturing juggernaut Pearl River Delta lies just a few kilometers south of the Guangdong Province where SARS could have possibly originated from. However, there have been virtually no reports of factory slowdowns or delayed shipments in this region in the five months since the SARS outbreak began. But now companies based in this region are showing warning signs of trouble ahead. Dozens of multinationals have restricted or banned travel to Guangdong and Hong Kong, airlines are restricting flights to these regions, and customers are looking for alternatives to the delta. In reality, though, it won't be easy to eclipse the Pearl River Delta. Unless the SARS outbreak lasts for many more months and gets far deadlier, the region is not likely to lose much business.