There were no new SARS cases reported in the last 24 hours, marking the fifth day in a row without a new case. There were no fatalities recorded, either.

A total of 1,386 patients - more than 78% of the total number of confirmed cases -  have recovered and been discharged from public hospitals.

Most of the 42 patients currently under active treatment in hospital are responding positively to the new treatment protocol. Of them, 15 are in intensive care.

Another 32 patients are recovering in convalescence, in preparation for discharge. 

There is one suspected case.

The last confirmed SARS case was admitted to hospital on June 3, so health officials are confident that Hong Kong will be removed from the WHO's list of SARS-infected places on Monday, June 23.

Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong will meet with the WHO's Director-General, Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, to discuss this when she arrives in Hong Kong later this week.

HK-Mainland communications stepped up in SARS wake

Guangdong authorities have confirmed with Hong Kong health officials that they have had an outbreak of Japanese encephalitis.

As a result, Hong Kong is stepping up its anti-mosquito efforts, as Japanese encephalitis is carried by mosquitoes, albeit a different mosquito type than the one that carries Dengue fever.

Health officials remind Hong Kong residents to take precautionary measures such as wearing long sleeves, using mosquito repellant, avoiding rural areas especially where there are many wild birds, and to avoid visiting pig farms.

There is a vaccine for Japanese encephalitis. However, because the disease is not yet endemic in Hong Kong, and because the vaccine can have many harmful side effects, officials recommend fighting mosquito breeding as the first step, coupled with personal protection against mosquito bites.

Anthrax source still a mystery

At the SARS press briefing today, Deputy Director of Health Dr Leung Pak-yin noted that 140 of 160 environmental and food samples taken from the home of a two-year-old who died of anthrax last week tested negative for the bacteria.

Investigations are ongoing, he added. From overseas cases, we know it may be an isolated case.

Fighting infectious diseases in future

In reply to a journalist's query, Dr Leung noted that more than 300 Hong Kong nurses have undergone special training in infection control procedures, and that many more training courses are planned. This will help prepare the local healthcare staff to cope in the event of another infectious-disease outbreak in future.