The Hong Kong government could have gained a better understanding of the SARS epidemic in Guangdong if it had sent officials to visit counterparts in the province back in February last year.

The knowledge gleaned would have helped Hong Kong deal with the ensuing mass outbreak in the city, said Deputy Director of Health Leung Pak-yin.

Leung made the remark yesterday while testifying at the Legislative Council's Select Committee that has been inquiring into the Hong Kong government's handling of the SARS outbreak last year.

When stories were circulating about the outbreak of atypical pneumonia in Guangdong, the Department of Health heard that some citizens in the province were boiling vinegar for its steam to sterilize and purify the air.

Leung made a suggestion to the then Director of Health Margaret Chan that Hong Kong officials pay a visit to their Guangdong counterparts to find out more about the epidemic situation.

"After a spate of phone calls and a facsimile failed to reach the officials there, I did propose that Hong Kong officials pay a visit there," recalled Leung.

But his suggestion did not translate into action. Chan decided to wait and see, since the Hong Kong government had been informed by the Ministry of Health that a news conference on the Guangdong situation was imminent.

Meanwhile, Leung was also challenged by lawmakers on why the government did not announce the sign of a spread of the disease in the community on March 14 last year.

In reply, Leung said that at that time there were about 1,500 to 2,000 pneumonia cases each month. Of these, only half were atypical pneumonia (AP) (SARS being one strain of AP).

Without any significant increase in the number of cases, statistics did not warrant the description of a spread of AP in the community.

"We did not cover up the situation for fear that the description should cause public fear. Public fear was entirely not the reason we considered," he said.

(China Daily HK Edition February 18, 2004)