Expert says a recurrence is unlikely, but caution is necessary
Sixteen residents of a Salvation Army hostel for the mentally disabled were in isolation at Princess Margaret Hospital last night, as authorities tried to determine whether they had Sars.
A Department of Health infection control team was sent to the Salvation Army Lai King Home to investigate.
The 12 men and four women, aged between 16 and 60, were all suffering influenza-like symptoms and tests were being made to determine the cause, a department spokesman said. A family member and hostel worker were also being treated.
'Their condition is stable and they are being kept under observation,' she said.
'From the initial symptoms it is an upper respiratory tract infection. It might not be Sars at all, but we sent people there to investigate.'
A Department of Health statement issued late last night said no laboratory tests had shown any positive results for Sars, but investigations were continuing.
