Authority: HK woman tested negative on SARS

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, September 17, 2003

Authority: HK woman tested negative on SARS

A Hong Kong woman has been confirmed to be negative to SARS virus test conducted by the Department of Health Tuesday, the Department of Health announced.

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The 34-year-old woman who was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) Monday night has tested negative for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), a spokesman for the Hong Kong Department of Health (DH) confirmed Tuesday.

"Results of preliminary tests carried out by PMH were negative.Likewise tests conducted by the Public Health Laboratory Center of DH today also yielded negative results for SARS-corona virus," the spokesman was quoted as saying in a government press release on Tuesday.

"The case is not a 'suspected SARS' case. Therefore, there is no cause for alarm," the spokesman said.

The patient, who has no recent travel history, reported shortness of breath on September 8 and was admitted to a private hospital on September 10. She stayed in an isolation ward the following day and was transferred to PMH on September 15. She is now under medical observation in an isolation ward and her condition is stable, the press release said.

The spokesman noted that the patient's family, hospital and work place contacts had been traced and none was showing sign of SARS. However, as a precautionary measure, DH has put them under close medical surveillance.

He stressed that DH will closely monitor developments and remain on high alert.

"The incident clearly indicates that DH, the Hospital Authority and the private medical sector are working in close liaison in the prevention against SARS. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of Hong Kong's disease surveillance system," he added.

Initial test shows SARS virus negative

Hong Kong Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Yeoh Eng-kiong said Tuesday that the initial test in Princess Margaret Hospital for a 34-year-old female patient is negative for the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) coronavirus.

The woman was transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital Monday night from a private hospital. She had a fever and respiratory symptoms.

The patient had no history of travel and the family members are all well. So there is no history of any contact with anyone with similar respiratory illness.

However, for safety sake, "We're repeating the test in the Department of Health's laboratories and we expect the result to be available between one to two o'clock Tuesday afternoon and the Department of Health will be announcing the results as soon as they have it, whether it is positive or negative. It will be presenting the information as it is," Yeoh said.

He said the government is on high alert and is watching out for possible re-emergence of SARS.

"I think we are very cautious because sometimes we do not know how advanced we will be heading. So we need to exclude coronavirus of SARS as the cause of the illness and we will certainly disclose information as soon as we have it," the official said.

Hong Kong is continuing with its preventive measures within the government to deal with any possible resurgence of SARS, he said.

The new isolation facilities announced six weeks ago, the 1,290 beds with isolation facilities, are on schedule, said Yeoh, adding the first group of these isolation wards will be available by the end of this month in Princess Margaret Hospital.

The Hospital Authority has adequate stock of protective gears and the staff are simply more prepared now, the health official assured.

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