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Initial test of HK patient shows SARS virus negative: official Hong Kong Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Yeoh Eng-kiong said Tuesday that the initial test in Princess Margaret Hospital for a 34-year-old female patient is negative for the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) coronavirus. The woman was transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital Monday night from a private hospital. She had a fever and respiratory symptoms. The patient had no history of travel and the family members areall well. So there is no history of any contact with anyone with similar respiratory illness. However, for safety sake, "We're repeating the test in the Department of Health's laboratories and we expect the result to be available between one to two o'clock Tuesday afternoon and the Department of Health will be announcing the results as soon as they have it, whether it is positive or negative. It will be presenting the information as it is," Yeoh said. He said the government is on high alert and is watching out for possible re-emergence of SARS. "I think we are very cautious because sometimes we do not know how advanced we will be heading. So we need to exclude coronavirus of SARS as the cause of the illness and we will certainly disclose information as soon as we have it," the official said. Hong Kong is continuing with its preventive measures within the government to deal with any possible resurgence of SARS, he said. The new isolation facilities announced six weeks ago, the 1,290 beds with isolation facilities, are on schedule, said Yeoh, adding the first group of these isolation wards will be available by the end of this month in Princess Margaret Hospital. The Hospital Authority has adequate stock of protective gears and the staff are simply more prepared now, the health official assured.
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