As at 1pm today, 32 new patients in public hospitals were confirmed to have atypical pneumonia. A total of 461 patients - almost one-third of all confirmed cases - have recovered and been discharged from public hospitals. Of them, 25 were sent home today.

The new confirmed cases include 10 healthcare workers (three from United Christian Hospital, two from Prince of Wales Hospital, two from Tai Po Hospital, one from Princess Margaret Hospital, one from Yan Chai Hospital and one from Tuen Mun Hospital).

The remaining 22 are other patients and contacts of patients with atypical pneumonia. Six of them are from the Tai Po district.

Most of the 874 patients currently in hospital are responding positively to the new treatment protocol. Of them, 109,  less than 13%, are receiving treatment in intensive-care units.

Five patients died in the last day. All had a history of chronic illness.

They included: two men, aged 84 and 66, at Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital; an 83-year-old woman at the Prince of Wales Hospital; a man, 87, at Queen Elizabeth Hospital;  and an 88-year-old man at Priness Margaret Hospital.

This brought to 99 the total number of deaths relating to atypical pneumonia.

Speaking at the daily press briefing this afternoon, Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr E K Yeoh said another 145 patients are recovering in hospitals and should be ready to return home soon.

Tai Po is not a repeat of Amoy Gardens

In response to a reporter's query, Dr Yeoh stressed that the situation in Tai Po, which has recently seen a sharp spike in the number of atypical pneumonia cases, is in no way similar to the Amoy Gardens outbreak.

"Around 70% of the Tai Po patients are related to the outbreaks at the Prince of Wales and Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospitals," he said. "The remaining 30% are like other cases in other districts."  

Using the Police computer system on loan from the Police, Hong Kong's health officials can identify patterns of infection. "We don't see any hotspots, it's quite widespread, not the pattern we saw in Amoy Gardens," Dr Yeoh said.

Healthcare workers at great risk

The number of healthcare workers getting the disease is still a concern, Dr Yeoh noted. The Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa visited the Hospital Authority headquarters today to speak to the directors and medical staff.

In the intensive-care unit, the risk is especially high. Many doctors and nurses got infected when they intubated patients, to help them breathe.

"Initially, not all the measures were good enough," Dr Yeoh said. Now, even though all wards in all hospitals take precautions against infection, "it is by no means an easy task to protect themselves every minute."

Strict procedures must be followed, he said, adding that there are now dedicated staff responsible for reducing the numbers of infected medical workers.

Two patients had also been admitted to surgical wards in Tai Po, one that had blood in his stool, and the other for a broken pelvic bone. Only later did staff learn that they were also infected with the virus, Dr Yeoh said.

"They infected some medical and health staff, and when they went home, they passed the disease on to others. They were not problems related to the buildings."

Shenzhen-developed infrared scanners in testing

Deputy Director of Health Dr PY Leung said a Shenzhen university has designed an infrared device for taking body temperature. "We're still having meetings with Guangdong authorities. They're doing some tests with the device. If the machine really works, we'll certainly cooperate with them and buy the machines from them," he said.

Open communications with the WHO

Over the Easter weekend, Hong Kong health authorities pass on the Amoy Garden report to the World Health Organisation.

"We have daily communicatons with the WHO," Dr Yeoh said. "They need time to analyse the report, and we'll answer further questions from them ... They haven't had time to respond to our findings, yet."