Press Release - June 23, 2003

The following is jointly issued by the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority:

Today (June 23) is the day on which the World Health Organization (WHO) took Hong Kong off the list of areas with recent local transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) since the last SARS case in Hong Kong was isolated on June 2.

Since the last weekly update issued on June 16, there has been no new confirmed cases of SARS. The number of patients recovered and discharged from hospital has increased from 1386 to 1411 with one patient discharged on June 17, six on June 18, three on June 19, seven on June 20, five on June 21, two on June 22, and one today.

There are 23 patients still in hospital. Nine of these patients, who were confirmed not SARS patients after serology tests, would be removed from the list of confirmed cumulative number of cases at a later date. Four other patients are receiving treatment for other diseases, such as diabetes mellitus. The remaining 10 patients are undergoing treatment in intensive care unit. In addition, 25 are recovering patients in convalescence and in preparation for discharge.

The last confirmed SARS case was a patient who had on-set of the disease on May 28 and had already been admitted to hospital on June 2.

During the week, there was one fatality involving a female patient aged 68 with underlying disease who died in Queen Elizabeth Hospital on June 19. The cumulative total number of deaths relating to SARS was 296.

Temperature checks for all passengers at the airport, ports and border points continue to be implemented to watch for travellers displaying symptoms of SARS. In addition, all incoming travellers are still required to complete a health declaration. Seven passengers were screened out during temperature checks at these points yesterday and all were released after undergoing further medical checks.