Press Release - May 5, 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 898 patients have recovered from atypical pneumonia and have been discharged from public hospitals. Of them, 20 were discharged today (May 3). There are also 110 recovering patients who are in convalescence and preparation for discharge.

As at 1 pm today, there is an additional 10 patients confirmed to have atypical pneumonia following admission to public hospitals earlier. They include one healthcare worker from the Prince of Wales Hospital. The remaining 9 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. Eighty patients are receiving treatment in intensive care unit.

Nine patients died in United Christian Hospital (UCH), Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH), Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), Tai Po Hospital (TPH), Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) and Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital (AHNH). This brought to 179 the total number of deaths relating to atypical pneumonia in Hong Kong.

The deceased include six men and three women who are aged from 50 to 96. Their information is as follows: