The widow of a Sars victim who died after allegedly contracting the disease at a private hospital is suing for damages.
Fenny Tsang Chun-sim, 44, who also caught the disease, filed a writ against Baptist Hospital in the High Court yesterday for unspecified damages and losses suffered by her and her late husband, Cheung Tak-sing, due to the hospital's alleged negligence and breach of duty.
The writ claimed damages for various factors, including personal injuries, mental distress and a psychiatric illness suffered by Ms Tsang. The document alleges that both Ms Tsang and her husband, then a 45-year-old chef, contracted Sars at the hospital on or about April 25, 2003. The husband had been admitted to the private hospital for unrelated injuries. She was visiting him.
The widow survived the Sars infection but her husband died on May 25. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer six months later.
Ms Tsang had stayed at Prince of Wales Hospital for Sars treatment for about two weeks. But her husband died just days after she was discharged.
'I have been completely traumatised over the past three years after losing my husband,' she said. 'I feel very glad today that I can finally launch the lawsuit. Three years is a long period of time. I hope I can overcome all the hurdles in life to wait for the trial. What I want is justice.
'Many people in Hong Kong have probably forgotten about the Sars outbreak. But the trauma to the survivors and families will never go away.'
