IHT: Hong Kong to restrict citizens to curb virus

	Hong Kong to restrict citizens to curb virus
	Thomas Crampton/IHT International Herald Tribune	March 27, 2003

HONG KONG The government imposed quarantine measures Thursday to impede the spread of an epidemic of deadly pneumonia as scientists announced a breakthrough in testing patients for the mysterious virus.

Hong Kong, the transportation hub from which the disease apparently spread worldwide, announced the immediate quarantine of more than 1,000 residents suspected of infection and shut down schools for 1 million students.

‘‘Hong Kong faces an epidemic that the world has never seen before,’’ said Tung Chee-hwa, the territory’s chief executive. ‘‘This is a very, very serious issue.’’

Hong Kong has been battling a wildfire the rapid spread of the disease for two weeks. The quarantine announced Friday applies to 1,080 people who had close contact with those infected by the disease. Nearly 1,000 other people who had social contact with infected patients will undergo surveillance.

Penalties for breaking domestic quarantine include a fine of 5,000 Hong Kong dollars (about $640) , obligatory confinement and six months in prison. The Hong Kong measures came a day after Singapore undertook similar moves.

The Hong Kong government has been criticized for a hesitant and piecemeal response to the crisis. Tung himself faced criticism Thursday after it was reported that his own granddaughter had been kept out of school at a time when the government had declined to close educational institutions.

‘‘We are favor of any measure within the law that will contain a disease outbreak,’’ said Peter Cordingley, a spokesman for the World Health Organization. ‘‘We don’t have any problem with Singapore’s approach.’’

The least forthcoming country, however, has been China, which on Wednesday acknowledged the presence of the atypical pneumonia for the first time, announcing the highest number of infected patients and fatalities in the world.

The Chinese authorities also said the situation was ‘‘basically under control,’’ hoping to avert the panic that took place several months ago over outbreak of pneumonia now thought to be linked to the current crisis.

Popular worries were evident throughout Hong Kong on Thursday as a growing proportion of the public put on face masks while walking in public areas.

Researchers at the University of Hong Kong announced successful DNA sequencing of a virus that they say causes the disease. The finding, if confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, could allow creation of a rapid diagnostic test and reduce death rates by allowing doctors to identify affected patients sooner.

The illness, severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, has killed at least 53 people, mostly in Asia, and infected 1,300 in more than a dozen countries. The group of microbiologists from the University of Hong Kong identified the virus as a new strain from the family of coronaviruses, highly contagious viruses that are the second leading cause of colds in humans.

‘‘The coronavirus is the primary cause of the disease,’’ said Malik Peiris, a professor of microbiology, adding that another virus, of the family that causes mumps, may also be involved and increase the severity of the disease. Peiris said the new strain had characteristics unlike any other he had ever seen.

‘‘This is unlike any other human or animal virus ever described before,’’ he said, adding that humans may not necessarily develop immunity to such a virus after recovering from an infection.

‘‘If we find they behave like a cold, you can get the same cold again and again,’’ Peiris said, warning that transmission of such a virus occurs through droplets and can take place in many common public areas. ‘‘Railings, lift buttons and just about anything touched by a person with an infection can pass on the virus,’’ he said.

To avoid infection, he warned people to wash their hands frequently, avoid touching the eyes, mouth or nose and wipe down with rubbing alcohol. ‘‘The virus is easily killed with rubbing alcohol,’’ Peiris said. ‘‘Wear a mask if you want, but make sure not to touch your face with your hands when adjusting it.’’

Peiris said his findings supported the multiple drug treatment with ribavirin and steroids currently administered to patients.

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