Press Release - March 31, 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 1 pm today (March 31), a total of 79 patients with symptoms of atypical pneumonia have recovered and been discharged from Hong Kong�s public hospitals.

Of them, 19 patients, including nine healthcare workers, were discharged today.

Meanwhile, an additional 80 patients with symptoms of atypical pneumonia were admitted to Hong Kong�s public hospitals. They include two healthcare workers and 64 patients from Amoy Gardens in Kowloon. The remaining 14 were new patients and contacts of patients with atypical pneumonia.

Currently, 64 patients are receiving treatment in the intensive care unit of Hong Kong�s public hospitals.

A 79-year-old male patient with a history of heart disease died in Prince of Wales Hospital yesterday afternoon. Another 62-year-old male patient, who was very ill when admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, passed away. So far, a total of 15 patients died with atypical pneumonia in Hong Kong�s public hospitals.

The cumulative figure for patients admitted to Hong Kong�s public hospitals with atypical pneumonia is 610, starting from March 12.