Sars has gone, and so has the ward where the killer virus first became embedded in Hong Kong before spreading to the rest of the city in 2003.
The well-known ward 8A at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin, where medical staff were struck by the then mysterious virus, no longer carries any trace of this painful chapter in the city's history, which took about 300 lives. The hospital renamed the ward 8H last month.
The hospital's chief executive, Fung Hong, said there was 'no political reason' behind the renaming; it was just a result of the redevelopment. As wards in the hospital's new block, to open in October, would be called A, B and C, those in the old block needed to be renamed to avoid confusion. The new names went into use last month.
A senior doctor at the hospital suggested management should erect a plaque outside the ward to remind people about Sars.
'Everyone is busy here, so we haven't paid much attention to the renaming,' the doctor said. 'But perhaps a memorial plaque can remind people of the painful experience, so we will be more alert in our jobs, especially infection control.'
