HONG KONG: The World Health Organization (WHO) clarified yesterday that Hong Kong had not been designated as an area with a high risk of resurgence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

News reports yesterday morning stated that the WHO had listed Hong Kong under the category.

The reports originated from the remarks of a WHO doctor, said a spokesman of the Department of Health (DH) yesterday.

But WHO officials, when contacted by the Director of Health Dr P. Y. Lam to verify the news, said the doctor's remarks did not represent the WHO's official position, according to the spokesman.

Upon press enquiries, a WHO spokesman said that Hong Kong is only at the second highest level of risk. He said that the misinformation was a result of misunderstanding.

Areas in this second category have to put all suspected SARS cases to the test for the coronavirus, he explained.

The categorization exercise is intended to avoid hospitals and laboratories around the world being overloaded during the high season of influenza, he said.

Although Hong Kong is not at the highest level of risk, the DH reassured the public that Hong Kong is fully prepared for the possible return of the disease and has adopted the highest vigilance for the detection of the virus.

Comprehensive contingency measures against SARS are already in place, it said.

SARS experts around the world have warned that the virus is a seasonal disease that may come back this winter.

(HK Edition 10/24/2003 page1)