The number of infected doctors and nurses in Prince of Wales Hospital, where the first severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) case in Hong Kong was reported, plunged from over 75 percent to 5-6 percent.

Sung Jao Yiu, chairman of Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, made the remark at a press conference Saturday at Prince of Wales Hospital.

He said that after taking more preventive measures as putting on special masks, gloves, gowns and even preventive glasses in treatment of SARS patients, no family members of the medical staff of the hospital contracted the disease.

Zhong Shangzhi, dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said at the press conference that taking a shower and change all clothes immediately back home, there will be little chance for a doctor and his family members to get the disease.

He said that 78 percent of medical staff for SARS treatment can go home every day now. In the past, medical staff were reluctant to go home in protection of their family members.

Experts here claimed that over 90 percent of patients can fully recovered if get early hospital treatment.

Wong Tze Wai, professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said preventive measures as replacement of asthma treatment devices including sprayers can effectively reduce the spreading of tiny particles in wards.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2003