The survey was conducted by the New Territories Association of Societies in Hong Kong with a total of 829 randomly chosen people over the telephone. The purpose was to find out the opinions of Hong Kong people over a range of issues related to the SARS outbreak.

According to a press release issued by the association Tuesday, about 65 percent of the respondents said Hong Kong's various walks of life have demonstrated their potential unity, as they continue to band themselves together to tide over the outbreak of SARS.

It added that with state leaders meeting with Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa, the Central government's sending in medical supplies to cover the shortages in Hong Kong's public hospitals, as well as the Hong Kong government's adoption of contingency measures to aid citizens and businesses affected by the outbreak of the disease, Hong Kong people have been touched and are projecting their spirit of unity in response.

"By either alms-giving or the offering of concrete help, mutual help has become the buzzword in the society. And with the professionalism and the spirit of sacrificing oneself for others, Hong Kong's medical workers have also demonstrated their professionalism touching the hearts of many," the press release said.

According to the survey, the respondents expressed hopes that the Hong Kong government would deal with a range of issues that are the fallouts of SARS in such descending order of importance: unemployment problems, international image of Hong Kong, reform of healthcare system, school classes and examinations, as well as the fiscal deficit of the government.

(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2003)