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WHO updated on SARS control in HK

The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, updated the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the latest situation of the control of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong today (May 12).

Dr Yeoh told WHO's Executive Director of Communicable Diseases, Dr David Heymann, in a video conference that we had been able to cap the increase in new confirmed case at single digit since May 4.

"We recorded 4 new confirmed cases yesterday and 5 today. So, apart from meeting the criterion of exporting no SARS case, we are approaching the second criterion of recording fewer than five cases in three consecutive days," he said.

In view of the difference between our discharge policy and that of other places, Dr Yeoh urged WHO to reconsider its criteria to require an overall active case number of 60 before lifting the travel advisory warning.

In order to minimise the risk of spreading the disease in the community, we keep patients in hospitals for an additional week after they have recovered. Therefore, not all SARS patients in our hospitals are active cases.

Of the 399 patients currently in the hospitals, 76 are convalescing while 1,066 out of a total of 1,683 SARS patients recovered and were discharged as at today.

Dr Yeoh also briefed WHO on the analysis of local transmission. He pointed out that over the last 10 days, only three SARS cases whose exposure source was not ascertained. Detailed investigation is currently on-going, including looking for other infection, and checking the coronavirus serology status of these patients.

According to the serology test that was returned from previous cases who could not be linked to a known source of exposure, 52 per cent were subsequently found to be negative for coronavirus.

The participants agreed to discuss the issues again next week.

End/Monday, May 12, 2003
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