19 January 2004

Dear Colleague,

Confirmed SARS cases in Guangdong

Two previously reported suspect cases in Guangzhou were classified by the Mainland health authorities as confirmed SARS cases on 17 January 2004. The patients are the 20-year-old female waitress and the 35-year-old self-employed man with illness onset on 25th and 31st December 2003 respectively.

Since last December, a total of three confirmed SARS cases have been reported in Guangzhou. The first two patients have recovered already. The 35-year-old man remaining in hospital is in stable condition and afebrile. Close contacts of all three patients reportedly did not have fever. There is no identified linkage between these three cases. The sources of infection are still under investigation.

Hong Kong has been free from SARS since last June. Yet, we are mindful of the large volume of population flow between Guangdong and Hong Kong. According to the Government Checklist of Measures to Combat SARS, the current response level remains at Alert Level (a). We have taken additional precautionary measures to protect the health of Hong Kong people, including stringent port health measures for travellers to and from Guangdong and a new surveillance system for pneumonia patients with travel history to Guangdong.

Please take special notice of febrile patients with respiratory symptoms, who reported history of visiting Guangdong Province during 10 days before symptom onset. Please ensure that masks are worn on these patients.

Please be alert to new developments, maintain due vigilance in infection control measures in your health care facility and maintain good staff sickness records.

Latest press releases, advice and information for health care professionals can be found in the Department of Health website: http://www.info.gov.hk/info/sars/e_profession.htm.

Yours sincerely,   (Dr Marina SUM)    for Director of Health