Press Release - April 22, 2003

The following is jointly issued by the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR):

In Hong Kong, a total of 461 patients have recovered from atypical pneumonia and have been discharged from public hospitals. Of them, 25 were discharged today (April 22).

As at 1 pm today, there is an additional 32 patients confirmed to have atypical pneumonia following admission to public hospitals earlier. They include 10 healthcare workers (three from United Christian Hospital, two from Prince of Wales Hospital, two from Tai Po Hospital, one from Princess Margaret Hospital, one from Yan Chai Hospital and one from Tuen Mun Hospital). The remaining 22 are other patients and contacts of patients with atypical pneumonia.

Most of the patients currently in hospital are showing positive responses to the new treatment protocol. One hundred and nine patients are receiving treatment in intensive care unit.

Five patients died in Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital (AHNH), Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH), Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). This brought to 99 the total number of deaths relating to atypical pneumonia in Hong Kong.

The five deceased, aged from 66 to 88, include four men who have a history of chronic disease and an elderly woman. Their information is as follows: