Press Releases

SHWF welcomes removal of Hong Kong from list of areas with local transmission

The Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, today (June 23) welcomed the decision by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to remove Hong Kong from the list of areas with recent local transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

The decision was a further indication that our all-out combat against this epidemic had triumphed in Hong Kong, Dr Yeoh said.

He thanked members of the community for rising to the challenge in unity in the fight against SARS, leading to eradication of infection in Hong Kong.

"Every sector and every member of the community have contributed to keeping the disease away by observing good personal and environmental hygiene, despite the cost of these practices.

"Our frontline healthcare workers devote themselves whole-heartedly to patient services despite all the risks and work pressure; our colleagues in Government, public organisations and non-government organisations race against time to implement comprehensive measures to contain the spread of the disease; and our research experts work round the clock to decode the disease.

"The epidemic has caused much pain and suffering and has been at great cost. Today, our thoughts go to health care workers who were infected while taking care of patients and patients whom, unfortunately, we were unable to save," Dr Yeoh said.

Of the 23 patients still in the hospitals, 10 are undergoing active SARS treatment, 4 are being treated for other illnesses while 9 have been confirmed as non-SARS cases after serology tests.

"A total of 25 patients are in convalescence and we expect to see more discharges in the near future," Dr Yeoh said.

He stressed that the Government's commitment to safeguarding public health would be unwavering.

"We will learn from experience and work together to build a better public health structure so that we can be better prepared should the disease return," he said.

Removal from the list of local transmission means that the chain of person-to-person transmission has been broken, thus eliminating the risk of infection for both local residents and travellers.

On April 2, WHO advised the public to consider postponing all but essential travel to Hong Kong. This travel advisory was removed on May 23.

End/Monday, June 23, 2003
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