Yeoh Eng-kiong, secretary for health, welfare and food, said at a press conference that all household contacts of patients confirmed with SARS will be confined within a period of 10 days.

"The purpose is to facilitate early detection of all household contacts of SARS patients to reduce the risk of further spread of SARS into the community," he said.

Relevant data indicate that the rate of household contacts of acquiring infection is estimated below 5 percent, under the circumstance that no precaution is taken, according to Yeoh, adding that to the public the risk is not very high.

Under the confinement measure, the government will give choices of those households whether to remain at home or to move to holiday camps.

The government will provide medical assistance to those households in the confinement period.

Yeoh said the government will disclose the names of the buildings with the confirmed cases of SARS patients, and he also appealed the community not to discriminate those infected individuals.

Yeoh also called for the community support in combating the SARS and said it is the primary work of the government to cooperate with the community.

Following the announcement of the confinement measure, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) announced that it will provide support to people who are confined to their home.

During the period when people are confined at home, the SWD is ready to provide them with the necessary support in the provision and delivery of meals, essential daily necessities and emotional support hotline service.

"Financial assistance under the 'Emergency Financial Assistance Scheme for Prevention of the Spreading of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome' will also be extended to these affected persons," the spokesman said.

As of April 9, 264 applications at a total grant of HK$226,170 (US$29,000) have been approved.

(Xinhua News Agency April 11, 2003)