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Transcript of remarks on severe respiratory syndrome

The following are the remarks made by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, the Minister of Health of the People's Republic of China, Dr Zhang Wenkang, and the Regional Director of World Health Organisation (Western Pacific Region), Dr Shigeru Omi, before the conferment ceremony of honorary fellowship at the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine Building this afternoon (March 22).

Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong: Welcome to this press briefing. Just to do an introduction. We have Dr Zhang from the Ministry of Health in Beijing and Dr Omi who is the Regional Director of the Regional Office for the Western Pacific Region of the World Health Organisation. Today we have exchanged views and information on the recent outbreak of this severe respiratory syndrome in the Western Pacific Region, which of course is a concern to us. We have some discussions and we have consensus on how we should take it forward. Now, I would like Dr Zhang to say a few words.

(Dr Zhang Wenkang: in Putonghua, please refer to Chinese version)

Dr Shigeru Omi: The World Health Organisation is treating with the utmost seriousness the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, that is affecting a number of countries. So far, 350 cases have been identified in 13 countries. Latest available figures show that 10 people have died from the disease.

As a measure of our concern, we have activated WHO's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network. This Network spans the world, bringing together the finest human and technical resources available. The Network is working on six key objectives - to contain and control the outbreak; to identify the causative agent; to identify effective treatments; to support the health-care infrastructure in affected countries; to provide information to health officials and to address public concerns; and to reinforce preparedness in vulnerable countries.

As part of this effort, we have set up a network of 11 laboratories in nine countries to work on pinpointing the pathogen behind the outbreak. Already, there has been success in this area. Working on specimens from people affected by the disease, scientists in Hong Kong SAR and Germany have detected particles of a virus from the paramyxoviridae family. And just last night, WHO announced that a laboratory has succeeded in growing what may be the infectious agent in cell culture. This is a major step towards the development of a diagnostic test. However, we should not get carried away. These are preliminary results only. Further studies are needed before it can be concluded, with confidence, that the causative agent of SARS has been identified. Its potential to spread and cause harm is obvious. But, equally, the rapid response of WHO Member States and the international community to the worldwide health alert issued by the WHO on March 15 has meant that formidable precautions are now in place. Surveillance is highly sensitive, with suspected cases rapidly detected and reported to national authorities and to WHO. Barrier nursing techniques and other preventive measures are halting the secondary spread of the infection.

The fight against SARS is a global effort, and WHO is working closely with its Member States. We have teams in several countries. For example, a team of five experts is now in Hong Kong SAR, all of them highly skilled in outbreak investigation. Their presence will strengthen the already close ties between Hong Kong and the World Health Organisation.

The performance of the Hong Kong SAR health authorities since the beginning of the outbreak has been most reassuring. This has been a testing time for everyone involved, and WHO applauds the dedication of Hong Kong's public health administrators, doctors, nurses and everyone else involved in this battle. We would like to offer a special word of gratitude to the doctors at Chinese University and the Prince of Wales Hospital for their work on identifying the virus associated with the disease.

A team of eminent WHO experts is on its way to Beijing this weekend, with the agreement of the Chinese Government, to work intensely with local experts, clinicians and officials. The skills and experience of the Chinese can make a significant contribution to the world body of knowledge on the disease.

Much has been achieved in a short time. But the challenges ahead should not be underestimated. We must redouble our efforts to understand the precise nature of this disease, to prevent its spread and to heal those who have fallen sick.

And there's one more thing I would like to add to my statement. Today, the Minister of Health of China and the Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR have proposed to me for WHO to organise a meeting in Hong Kong as soon as possible with all the experts in this field, to put them together in Hong Kong and to discuss as to how we can further participate and share the information, and how we can better control this disease. And I officially said to the Minister of Health that WHO agreed to this offer.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion)

End/Saturday, March 22, 2003
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