WHO lifts Hong Kong travel advisory
( 2003-05-23 17:04 ) (7)

The UN health agency canceled its warning against travel to Hong Kong and the Chinese province of Guangdong, an advisory that was imposed because of the outbreak of SARS.

The World Health Organization said it took the move because the outbreaks are under control in the two areas.

"Guangdong was the first place in the world to have cases of SARS but I am pleased to note that due to the efforts of the local and national health authorities, with support from WHO, the outbreaks in Guangdong and Hong Kong are being contained," said WHO Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland.

WHO continued to advise against all nonessential travel to the Chinese capital, Beijing, and to the regions of Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi and Tianjin, as well as to Taiwan, because of continuing new transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome.

In Hong Kong, the daily number of new cases has on average been below five for the past six days and the number of patients in hospitals has dropped below 60, WHO said. Both were conditions removing the ban.

"The pattern of the outbreak shows a sustained decline since the peak of new cases in late March," it said.

In Guangdong, the average of new cases has been below five for 11 days and the number of patients in hospital fell below 60 on Tuesday.

"Due to the efforts of the provincial health authorities, the extent of local transmission has fallen to low levels over recent weeks," WHO said.

There have been no recent reports of cases being exported to other countries from Hong Kong or Guangdong, WHO added.

SARS has infected more than 8,000 people worldwide and killed at least 687.