The number of new SARS cases has remained in single digits for nine days running - bringing Hong Kong closer to meeting conditions for lifting the World Health Organisation's travel advisory.

As at 1pm today, five new patients in public hospitals were confirmed to have SARS syndrome. A total of 1,066 patients - more than 63% of all confirmed cases - have recovered and been discharged from public hospitals. Of them, 7 were sent home today.

Two of the new cases are healthcare workers, one from Tuen Mun Hospital and one from Shatin Hospital.

Most of the 399 patients currently in hospital are responding positively to the new treatment protocol. Of them, 61, about 15%, are receiving treatment in intensive-care units.

Another 76 patients are recovering in convalescence, in preparation for discharge.

Three patients, two with chronic illnesses, died in the last day. They included an 83-year-old man who died at Tai Po Hospital, a 50-year-old woman at Prince of Wales Hospital, and a 75-year-old woman at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

This brings to 218 the number of SARS-related deaths.

Two hospitalised schoolgirls to be discharged

Two schoolgirls, aged 12 and 13, were taken by ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital  after they were found to have fevers at Yaumati Kai Fong Association School. They will be discharged later today after doctors determined they were not suffering from severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Hong Konger in Macau likely not a SARS case

A 36-year-old Hong Kong man who had travelled to Macau was in isolation as a  suspected SARS case, Deputy Director of Health Dr Leung Pak-yin said at the daily press briefing.

However, the department had spoken with Macau officials today and "it seems that the chance of him being a real SARS case is low."

Hong Kong health officials are following up with the man's family members to see if they have any symptoms, he added.

Officials, WHO discuss travel advisory

At the time of the briefing, Director of Health Dr Margaret Chan and Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong were engaged in a videoconference call with the World Health Organisation.

The two sides were discussing the conditions for lifting the WHO's Hong Kong travel advisory.

Meanwhile, the WHO's team of environmental experts have finished their research into outbreaks at Amoy Garden and other housing estates. The Hong Kong Government awaits their report and recommendations, he added.

Contact tracing effective, efficient 

The contact tracing system is working well. It is focused on finding links between recent cases, those that developed in the last 10-20 days. It has succeeded in finding the probable cause for all but three of  the last two dozen or so cases, Dr Leung said.

Time to unmask? 

Last Thursday, the WHO's Executive Director of Communicable Diseases, Dr David Heymann, suggested that it was time for Hong Kongers to remove their masks.

In response to a query about whether or not the public should wear masks, Dr Leung said: "I don't want people to become complacent."

The public are much more knowledgeable now, he added.

"They know when a mask is necessary and when it isn't. We want to reduce the number of cases to the minimum so maybe it's always a good thing to wear a mask when you're in a congested place and when you're coughing."