The World Health Organisation's response to Hong Kong's efforts to beat SARS - and have the WHO's travel advisory lifted - are "very encouraging", the Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food says.

Speaking on RTHK Radio 3 in a taped interview from Geneva this morning, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong said that in meetings with WHO officials, he stressed that "although we haven't fully met their criteria, that we are in control of the situation and that we understand what's happening, that there's no risk for people coming to Hong Kong."

He has had "encouraging discussions" with Dr David Heymann, the WHO's Executive Director for Communicable Diseases, and Dr Shigeru Omi, the WHO's Regional Director for the Western Pacific.

"I think they're starting to feel that we've done a lot to control the situation and they are very encouraging," Dr Yeoh said. 

The decision still has to be made ultimately by the whole WHO team, Dr Yeoh added. "They need to be absolutely sure. They are now being very cautious. They don't want to lift the travel advisory and find that something happened, then they have to impose it again.

"That would be very bad for Hong Kong if we had the travel advisory lifted and then the next day we had an outbreak."

Dr Yeoh expressed his optimism - and told WHO officials that Hong Kong will continue to treat its outbreak in a transparent manner.

"Certainly I'm convinced myself that we have things under control, but we need to assure them. I've given them the assurance that Hong Kong would never keep any potential dangers from the WHO. If there's any potential for outbreaks, we would be the first to inform them. We realise the situation," he said.