HONG KONG: The city heaved a sigh of relief yesterday after a case of severe respiratory disease was proven not to be the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) that returned to Singapore last week.

The case had sent jitters running through the territory, prompting the Hong Kong government to activate its early warning system on infectious disease and sending stock prices tumbling briefly.

A 34-year-old woman admitted to the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) on Monday night was suspected of having contracted SARS after her tests in the Hong Kong Adventist Hospital (HKAH), from which she was transferred, had shown positive results.

Preliminary tests conducted by PMH and Department of Health (DH) laboratories yesterday, however, proved to be negative for the coronavirus.

"The case is not a 'suspected SARS' case. Therefore, there is no cause for alarm," Lam Ping-yan, director of health, said in a press conference yesterday.

The woman has not travelled outside Hong Kong recently. She was admitted to HKAH on September 10 for shortness of breath. She stayed in an isolation ward the following day and was transferred to PMH on September 15. She is now under medical observation in an isolation ward and is listed in stable condition.

The patient's family members are all in good health.

"The incident clearly indicates that DH, the Hospital Authority and the private medical sector are working in close liaison in the prevention against SARS. It also demonstrates the effectiveness of Hong Kong's disease surveillance system," Lam said.

The DH will closely monitor the situation and remain on high alert, he said.

Yeoh Eng-kiong, secretary for health, welfare and food, told reporters yesterday morning that the medical authorities are continuing with their preventive measures to deal with any possible resurgence of SARS.

A number of beds with isolation facilities will be in place in PMH by the end of this month, and a total of 1,290 beds will be made available within the coming months.

Meanwhile, the Education and Manpower Bureau has sent instructions to schools on the prevention of SARS since classes resumed on September 1.

Secretary for Education and Manpower Arthur Li said yesterday that after the appearance of an isolated SARS case in Singapore, the bureau has reminded schools throughout the territory to sanitize their premises and suspend classes as soon as any student is found to have contracted the disease.

The bureau has also reminded parents to take temperatures of their children and make sure they wear masks if they have caught a cold or the flu.

In Beijing, Director of the Beijing Municipal Tourism Bureau Yu Changjiang told China Daily yesterday that officials will take quick action if visitors to Beijing show symptoms of SARS.

"We have already established an emergency system, which keeps a close eye on tourists' health during their trips in the capital," he said.

"Tourists that are suspected of being SARS cases will be immediately isolated and reported to the disease control authorities," Yu said.

"Measures to prevent the epidemic from spreading through travel will be strictly enforced by efforts of travel agencies, hotels, restaurants and scenic site administrative organizations," Yu said.

In another development, sources said the number of overseas travellers to Beijing in August this year was half that of the same month last year.

Yu said fear of the epidemic still exists in countries, such as Japan, the source of many visitors to Beijing.

It could affect the overseas tourist market during this and coming months.

(HK Edition 09/17/2003 page1)