A series of measures have been taken in Hong Kong to address the special needs of elders in the fight against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), a government official said Thursday.

Assistant Director of Health Chan Wai-man said that ever since the outbreak of the SARS, the Department of Health (DH) has been working closely with the Social Welfare Department in offering various kinds of assistance to the elderly.

Up to now, 1,297 people were affected with the SARS in Hong Kong and about 10 percent of the patients are elders, who are medically subject to death with the killer virus.

In order to provide health information to elders, DH has been conducting lots of health talks with emphasis on personal and environmental hygiene for over 20,000 elders and their carers since the outbreak of the disease in March, Chan Wai-man said.

DH also mapped out guidelines for people who may visit elders in their homes.

Elders are advised to take precautions while cleaning their households to prevent fall or strain to their bodies. Those with chronic diseases are reminded to continue with their prescribed medicines and not to delay treatment.

Chan appealed to the community to show more concern for elders to make use of the DH hotlines in case of need.

Noting that about 10 percent of the patients with SARS are elderly people, Chan said that there is no cause for panic among elders as they are not at particular high risk of contracting SARS than people of other age groups.

(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2003)