Mystery virus cases rising

News.com.au From correspondents in Hong Kong March 31, 2003

HONG KONG took drastic new measures today to combat a killer pneumonia as nearly 100 more cases were reported in the territory amid growing disruption to travel and business across Asia. The increasingly fraught battle to contain Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome came as the US authorities warned the virus could be more contagious than first thought and advised against travel to parts of Asia.

The mysterious illness has now infected more than 1600 people in 15 countries and killed at least 59 people.

It erupted in southern China, spread to Hong Kong and has been taken worldwide by airline passengers.

The Hong Kong authorities today isolated an entire housing block for 10 days in an attempt to control the epidemic after 213 people on the estate were found to be infected - a rise of 92 overnight.