April 8, 2003
The following is jointly issued by the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority:
As at 3 pm today (April 8), an additional 45 patients with symptoms of atypical pneumonia were admitted to public hospitals. They include 18 healthcare workers (nine from Princess Margaret Hospital, five from Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital, three from United Christian Hospital and one from Queen Elizabeth Hospital) and 5 patients from Amoy Gardens. The remaining 22 were new patients and contacts of patients with atypical pneumonia.
A total of 138 patients have recovered from atypical pneumonia and have been discharged from public hospitals. Of them, 11 were discharged today.
Most of the patients currently in hospital are showing positive responses to the new treatment protocol. One hundred and sixteen patients are receiving treatment in intensive care unit.
Two male patients all with a history of chronic disease died in hospitals last night, bring to 25 the total number of deaths relating to atypical pneumonia. The two patients, aged 81 and 74, died in Prince of Wales Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital respectively.
The cumulative figure for patients who have been admitted to public hospitals with atypical pneumonia since March 12 is as follows:
| Nature |
Cumulative Number
(The numbers in bracket are those with pneumonia symptoms) |
Total No. of Discharged Patients |
Total No. of
Deaths * |
| Health care workers of Hospitals/Clinics and medical students | 226 (226) | 69 | 25 |
| Patients, family members & visitors | 702 (702) | 69 | |
| Total | 928 (928) | 138 |
| * |
Most of the deaths occurred in individuals who have a history of chronic diseases, or were patients who sought treatment at a relatively late stage of infection. |