Tung praises nurse who died trying to save others

A male nurse who died of Sars in a Hong Kong hospital was yesterday hailed a hero by Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa.

Mr Tung spoke out after 300 people attended a service for Lau Wing-kai, 38, who died in Tuen Mun Hospital on Saturday.

'He is a hero,' he said. 'He will be given the highest honour at his funeral.' Mr Tung did not specify what honour Lau would receive.

Earlier during a radio interview, Lau's widow, a nurse at Kowloon Hospital, spoke of her loss.

'Although my husband has died, I would still like to encourage other colleagues [to continue working]. I understand their morale may be undermined by the death of my husband,' she said.

'I would like to thank them. Doctors and nurses in the hospital may feel very upset but I know they have done their best.'