Amoy Gardens, the normally bustling residential area at the hub of Ngau Tau Kok, was almost deserted yesterday as it emerged as the epicentre of the latest community outbreak of atypical pneumonia.
Residents afraid that they might become infected with the fatal virus have fled their homes to stay with relatives.
For the few who remain, wearing face masks and frequently cleaning their homes are the only ways they can feel a sense of security.
They remain in the dark as to which floors have been infected.
Companies who employ people from the area are not taking any chances. Some residents have been asked to take a week off work since the first batch of infections were recorded at Block E of Amoy Gardens on Wednesday.
Wearing a face mask, Tracey Mo, a resident of Block E, which accounts for 70 per cent of the infections in the area, returned to her 30th-floor flat yesterday to take some of her belongings to her parents' home, where she has been staying since the outbreak began.