The Hospital Authority's William Ho says a mechanism is in place to warn of the onset of SARS in three stages - green, yellow and red - in ascending order of seriousness.

The Chief Executive of the authority said on an RTHK radio programme that once it came, the authority would activate measures to counter the attack.

This mechanism would enable its hospitals and outpatient clinics to detect early SARS patients, monitoring the disease's development.

AIDS drugs also to be used

Mr Ho said the authority would introduce the mechanism to staff, and conduct an exercise on how to handle the crisis should it happen. 

On medication to SARS patients, he said the authority was considering combining Ribavirin and drugs used to fight AIDS. Results of the treatment would be compared with the methodology adopted previously.

He added that both the Government and the Hospital Authority had set up committees to review the medication issue. He noted that Hong Kong had referred only to the experience in Guangdong and locally when prescribing Ribavirin.

Dr Ho is confident that the authority will do a better job in future.

Meanwhile, Hospital Authority Chairman Dr CH Leong said on an Commercial Radio programme that the Government would provide 1,280 isolation beds for SARS patients in public hospitals with casualty wards. About 70% of them would be ready from mid to late October.

The authority would also ensure adequate provision of three months' protective clothing and equipment for medical personnel.

Dr Leong said the Government and the authority had set up an inter-departmental unit to study the conversion of cargo containers into isolation wards in remote areas in emergencies when there was a sudden increase of SARS patients.

The authorities are searching for a suitable location for this purpose. The site must be conveniently located with an appropriate sewerage system, he said.

He appealed to the public to remain vigilant and to take precautions, adding that there was not yet a vaccine against SARS.