Hong Kong reported no SARS cases today, leaving it just one day away from its possible removal from the World Health Organisation's list of areas affected by the deadly virus.
The UN health agency says Hong Kong will be removed from the list 20 days after its last case was isolated, which was June 2nd. The government hopes the move will help lure tourists back to the city, whose economy has been devastated by the SARS outbreak.
A WHO official told Hong Kong Cable TV that it would formally announce its decision on Monday if there were no more new cases. One suspected case reported earlier this week did not have the disease.
Some 1,755 people have been infected with SARS in the city since the epidemic began in March and 296 have died, but the disease is now believed to be under control.
Hong Kong reported no new deaths from SARS today and said 1,408 SARS patients had recovered and been discharged from hospital.
Hong Kong was removed from the WHO's travel advisory list late last month but its badly-hit tourism and leisure industries continue to languish and may not recover to pre-SARS levels until late this year or early in 2004.
The flu-like disease first surfaced in southern China late last year and was brought to Hong Kong in late February before it was spread around the world by travellers. More than 8,400 people have been infected with over 800 deaths.