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People should remain vigilant against SARS to help revive the economy now that the WHO has removed Hong Kong from the list of SARS-affected areas.
This was the message from Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa during a visit to Amoy Gardens today, the place hardest hit by SARS.
Announcing the WHO's decision, Mr Tung expressed sorrow for those lost to and affected by the outbreak.
He said concerted efforts of the whole community have made Hong Kong's anti-SARS work a success, in particular healthcare workers' selfless and professional spirit.
Mr Tung said the Government is reviewing its anti-SARS work to plan disease prevention and control measures.
The public should continue to guard against SARS as it might come again, he said. We need to learn from the experience of the past three months to better prepare ourselves for any possible SARS outbreak in future.
He said a series of measures will be launched to get the economy moving again.
Funding will be made available for the creation of 70,000 jobs in the short term to alleviate the damage brought by SARS.
In the long run, more business opportunities will arise with the implementation of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement at the end of this month and integration with the Pearl River Delta.
Mr Tung also met some family members and children of people who died of SARS at Government House in the afternoon.
He expressed his concern, sympathy and support for the family members and pledged that the Government would try its best to provide any assistance they might need.
He said Hong Kong had won the battle against SARS. "While life in Hong Kong is returning to normal, we have not forgotten the families who had lost their loved ones in the fight against SARS," he said.
Hospital isolation facilities to be upgraded
Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong said improvement measures are being carried out in nine public hospitals with casualty wards to prevent another major SARS outbreak.
He said the hospitals' isolation facilities and ventilation will be enhanced in three months.
When asked if Hong Kong will experience a SARS relapse like Toronto, Dr Yeoh said it happened because of the failure to detect subtle SARS symptoms among elderly patients. The Government is monitoring closely the situation in homes for the aged and hospitals to prevent this.
Dr Yeoh said as we have yet to ascertain the origin of the SARS virus, it is necessary to have a better surveillance system so that effective measures can be implemented should the virus appear again.
"We will learn from experience and work together to build a better public health structure so that we can be better prepared should the disease return," he said.
He thanked members of the community, frontline healthcare workers, clinicians and technicians, colleagues in Government, public and non-government organisations for their fight against SARS, leading to eradication of infection in Hong Kong.
PLA praise
The People's Liberation Army garrison congratulated Hong Kong for being removed from WHO's list.
In a letter to the Chief Executive, Commander Wang Jitang and Political Commissar Wang Yufa said Hong Kong has scored the "ultimate victory" in its fight against SARS.
The announcement, they added, was recognition of the relentless efforts and achievements of various sectors of the community in the battle over the past few months.
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