To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: "Unlucky" Set of Events Led to SARS Outbreak in Hong Kong Amoy Gardens URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/232A52.htm Doctor's Guide May 16, 2003
HONG KONG, CHINA -- May 16, 2003 -- Around 21 March, an unusual cluster of SARS cases occurred in Block E of Amoy Gardens, with apartment units 7 and 8 most affected. It was highly likely that an unlucky set of environmental and health events happening simultaneously contributed to the spread of SARS in this residential estate. At the invitation of Hong Kong Government, a WHO Environmental Team headed by Dr Heinz Feldmann has recently completed an interim study on the risk factors involved in the possible environmental transmission of SARS in Amoy Gardens, which has reported a total of 329 SARS cases from 26 March to 24 April. The Team's interim report concluded that a number of factors are probably responsible for the unusual spread of the coronavirus. Major findings and conclusions of the investigation, which were announced today, are summarized below: - At the time of the outbreak, the floor drain traps in many apartments seemed to have dried out and did not contain water for long periods. (When filled up with water, floor drain traps are designed to prevent reflux and act as a barrier between the floor drain and the soil stack.) - Bathroom exhaust fans were running with the door closed, and contaminated droplets could have been drawn from the soil stack into the bathroom through the dried out floor drains. - The running exhaust fans could have also transported contaminated droplets present or generated in the bathroom into the light well. The contaminated droplets could have entered into other apartments with an open window even several floors away from the source. - Flush water was shut down for 16 hours starting on the evening of 21 March, to fix a break of a flush water pipe serving unit 8. The physical condition of the Amoy Gardens structure is generally good and meets international standards. The management of the building is delivered professionally and existing plumbing systems meet the needs to contain waste within piping, provided it is operated by the multitude of users as per original design intent. Exhaustive testing of Amoy Gardens found no genetic material or footprint of the SARS-related coronavirus in swabs taken from the affected apartments, the entrance between the units, the corridors, the roof, the ground floor and the sewer manholes. Summary of Cases Five more patients were confirmed to have SARS on 15 May. Since 4 May, the daily number of newly confirmed SARS cases has fallen below 10 for the 12th consecutive day. On 15 May, 32 more patients with SARS have recovered from the disease and been discharged from hospitals, hence increasing the total number of recovered patients to 1,160 (i.e., 68.1% of all 1,703 SARS cases). There are currently 309 SARS patients remaining in hospitals, in which 67 patients are undergoing convalescence before discharge and 54 patients are receiving treatment in the intensive care units. Out of the 1,703 cases, 376 involved health care workers or medical students. There are also 15 suspected cases under treatment. There has been a total of 234 fatal cases. About 71% of these patients had pre-existing medical illnesses, such as hypertension, heart diseases, diabetes mellitus and stroke. The male to female ratio is 1.7:1, and 63% of the fatal cases are elderly persons aged 65 or above. SOURCE: Health, Welfare and Food Bureau, Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.