Press Release - March 21, 2003

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

As at 3 pm today (March 21), the admission statistics of patients who have been in close contacts with atypical pneumonia patients are as indicated below.

The Department of Health and Hospital Authority of the HKSAR have been closely monitoring the clinical condition of in-patients with pnuemonia symptoms. The total number of admission is released after collating, analysing and confirming the clinical symptoms and test results of the patients concerned. The total number of patients included those who have been admitted earlier.

On the other hand, six patients with atypical pneumonia died recently in the following Hong Kong public hospitals: Kwong Wah Hospital (2 patients); Princess Margaret Hospital (1 patient); Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (1 patient); Prince of Wales Hospital (2 patients).

For updated information and latest news on respiratory tract infections, please visit the special home page on the subject at www.info.gov.hk/info/infection-e.htm, and the HKSAR Department of Health website at www.info.gov.hk/dh/ap.htm as well as the e-bulletin at www.news.gov.hk/en/index.shtml.