Press Release - April 10, 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 154 patients have recovered from atypical pneumonia and have been discharged from public hospitals. Of them, 12 were discharged today.

As at 1 pm today (April 10), an additional 28 patients with symptoms of atypical pneumonia were admitted to public hospitals. They include 12 healthcare workers (nine from Princess Margaret Hospital, one from Prince of Wales Hospital, one from Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital and one from Queen Elizabeth Hospital) and 1 patient from Amoy Gardens. The remaining 15 were new 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 twenty patients are receiving treatment in intensive care unit.

Three patients died in Princess Margaret Hospital, bringing to 30 the total number of deaths relating to atypical pneumonia. The three included a 63-year-old male with a history of chronic disease and a 46-year-old female who died yesterday as well as a 73-year-old female patient with a history of chronic disease who died this morning.

The cumulative figure for patients who have been admitted to Hong Kong�s public hospitals with atypical pneumonia since March 12 is as follows: