Sharp jump in SARS deaths

HONG KONG reported a sharp jump in deaths from the SARS virus yesterday as Asia’s fourth-largest airline said it could soon ground its fleet if passenger numbers fell further.

In a further sign severe acute respiratory syndrome was far from being contained in Hong Kong, the government said five more people had died and 42 more had been infected with the flu-like virus.

It was the largest jump in the death toll in weeks and raises the number killed from the virus to 40 since the epidemic began in the city in March. At least 1,150 have been infected.

The virus has been spread by air travellers to nearly 20 countries, killing 126 people and infecting nearly 3,200. Canada reported three more deaths.

Singapore reported one death from the disease, with two more suspected. The illness has crippled tourism in Asia and forced airlines to cuts flights sharply.

Economists say the longer the crisis lasts the deeper it will eat into the region’s economies and it could push some, including Hong Kong, back into recession.

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways said in an internal memo the company was losing US$3 million a day.

The airline is carrying only a third of its usual traffic volume and a senior official said yesterday the company could not rule out grounding its fleet next month if things got worse.

“If demand falls still further we will have to respond accordingly,” said Tony Tyler, director of corporate

development. Clearly we can’t rule out any particular course of action, but we will respond to circumstances.”

Hong Kong’s airport authority said 195 flights, or 37% of those scheduled, were cancelled yesterday. Passenger numbers at the airport have fallen more than 60% in recent days.

Canada, which has the third-largest number of SARS cases, said three more people had died, bringing the death toll to 13, while there were more than 270 probable or suspected cases of infection. Thousands of people have been quarantined.

Singapore’s death toll rose to 10 and four new cases of the disease were reported, but the government said primary and secondary schools would reopen today and Wednesday, respectively, after having been closed since late last month.

The World Health Organisation issued an advisory this month against travel to southern China and Hong Kong.

The measure has further cut the number of people travelling to Hong Kong Hard-hit Cathay is carrying roughly 10,000 passengers every day, down from 30,000 in ordinary circumstances.

“We forecast that the number of passengers could fall to less than 6,000 per day in May, in which case we will have to consider grounding the entire passenger fleet,” director of flight operations Nick Rhodes said.