Seven health workers with flu-like symptoms checked for SARS; patients isolated
(Agencies)
Updated: 2003-08-27 11:23

A Hong Kong public hospital quarantined 24 patients after seven of its health workers developed flu-like symptoms, although none have tested positive for SARS, officials said Wednesday.

Five nurses and two health care assistants working in Ward E3 at the Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital in suburban Tai Po developed symptoms such as coughs, sore throats and fevers on Friday, hospital spokeswoman Ellen Wong said.

Five of the health workers have returned to work while two were on sick leave, Wong said. None of them required hospital treatment.

The 24 patients have been barred from leaving since Monday and are being monitored for SARS after some developed mild fevers and coughs, Wong said. Coughs, fevers, and signs of pneumonia are common symptoms of severe acute respiratory syndrome.
It was not clear if their illnesses were related to the health workers', Wong said.
Health Department spokeswoman Eva Wong said preliminary evidence showed the cases were not related to SARS.

Meanwhile, the Hospital Authority said in a statement that it has stepped up its monitoring for possible infection outbreaks following a respiratory ailment that sickened nearly 150 residents and staff members at a Canadian nursing home earlier this month.

Hong Kong was among the hardest hit by the SARS outbreak, which first emerged in southern China in November.

The disease infected more than 8,400 people worldwide and killed more than 800 people. In Hong Kong, it sickened 1,755 people and killed 299.

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