World Health Organization (WHO)'s Executive Director for Communicable Diseases Dr. David Heymann praised the Hong Kong government Sunday for its transparent systems and efforts to fight severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic.

He made the remarks during a slide presentation during a cocktail reception in Hong Kong, hosted by Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food of the Hong Kong government E. K. Yeoh. Dr. Heymann, who is here on a one-day trip, is expected to meet the media at noon on June 16.

"What Hong Kong has contributed to the global effort, I said, has been significant. It's been incredibly important. (For the) reporting (of cases of SARS), Hong Kong has shown the way of open and transparent reporting despite concerns on the economy.

"The first reported case was on Feb. 19, that led to the intensified global surveillancing of respiratory diseases. And then they reported in early March the information we needed to make a decision on global alert," Heymann said.

He praised the public health bodies here and the Hong Kong government again for taking prompt, proactive measures to researchinto both the virus itself and the causes leading to outbreaks. Healso highlighted the Hong Kong government's responsible action of regularly reporting to the WHO the new cases of SARS infections and deaths.

"Science has been very important here. Coronavirus was first isolated and identified here. Some of the earliest PCR and antibody tests were developed here. Environmental factors involvedin transmission were probably identified correctly - as the sewagelink. This is very important information.

"Outbreak control prompts reaction once the outbreak has been identified (including) effective case identification, contact tracing, case isolation, infection control surveillance and quarantine.... In patient management, Hong Kong has led the way inthe control trials of drugs trying to determine what will work best," Dr. Heymann commented.

Hong Kong' collaboration with scientists in Guangdong province in joint medical research projects into animal reservoirs has alsobeen singled out by Dr. Heymann as useful in giving information tothe WHO.

As for where Hong Kong can continue contributing to the world's research into the disease, Dr. Heymann listed three areas which include: case identification through surveillance, improving diagnostic tests and its collaboration with the Chinese mainland, such as, Guangdong province, in animal reservoirs and other risk factors of transmissions.

"If we don't know this, if the disease does now appear to disappear from humans, it may come back because of the risks we don't understand," he said, noting that Hong Kong' continuous cooperation with the WHO is deemed extremely vital in the organization's global efforts.

"We need you continuously to be helping us in our global effort," he said.

Meanwhile, during the reception, E. K. Yeoh of the Hong Kong government expressed thanks to the WHO for the valuable advice it has given to Hong Kong in dealing with the disease.

(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2003)