Hong Kong confident of beating SARS

QUARANTINE measures appear to be paying off in Hong Kong’s fight against SARS and its leader voiced growing confidence about beating the disease. But experts said yesterday it’s unclear when the crisis will end.

The number of new cases reported daily seems to be declining in hard-hit Hong Kong. Some doctors, however, say there needs to be a sharper, more sustained drop before anyone can say Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is under control.

"My prediction is in three months' time Hong Kong can return to almost normal, not completely normal," said Dr Lo Wing-lok, president of the Hong Kong Medical Association.