Killer flu is traced to a hotel in Hong Kong

[Nautica]

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Of the seven who fell ill, almost all spread the disease further. Three were visitors from Singapore and two were from Canada. One local resident became the case that is suspected of infecting more than one hundred health workers, medical students and patients at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong.

Those who returned to overseas destinations from the hotel included three people from Singapore who are recovering from the illness and a tourist from Toronto, a 78-year old woman, who died. Almost all those who returned overseas have infected friends, family or health workers, Chan said.

The health authorities evacuated the hotel and prepared it for disinfecting, but the cause of the illness is probably already gone, Chan said.

"The hotel's hygiene conditions are satisfactory and there are no signs that the disease is still in the hotel," Chan said. "The maximum incubation period of seven days is well passed."

HONG KONG The health authorities in Hong Kong announced late Wednesday that they might have discovered the primary transmission route for a mysterious killer pneumonia that has panicked residents and infected tourists.

Four additional deaths were also confirmed Wednesday - three in Hong Kong and one in Vietnam - as the health authorities around the world continued to report new cases of the harsh flu-like illness, which doctors are calling severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.

More than 250 patients worldwide have suspected infections. At least 10, and possibly as many as 13, have died.

While the number of suspected cases in Hong Kong rose to 145 on Wednesday - an overnight increase of 34 patients - the Hong Kong health officials announced that they had traced the infection's route to a single hotel floor.

"It is possible this route could account for 90 percent of the infections in Hong Kong," said Margaret Chan, Hong Kong's director of health. "This is very important further evidence that infection requires close contact, not just casual contact."

Investigators questioning patients worldwide discovered that seven of the people who fell ill stayed on the ninth floor of the Metropole Hotel in Kowloon on Feb. 21 and 22, Chan said.

Of the seven who fell ill, almost all spread the disease further. Three were visitors from Singapore and two were from Canada. One local resident became the case that is suspected of infecting more than one hundred health workers, medical students and patients at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong.

Those who returned to overseas destinations from the hotel included three people from Singapore who are recovering from the illness and a tourist from Toronto, a 78-year old woman, who died. Almost all those who returned overseas have infected friends, family or health workers, Chan said.

Hmm, remind anyone of the STAND ? :wacko: