Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Yeoh Eng-kiong told Xinhua Thursday that Hong Kong has a very good surveillance system to monitor diseases and very good data relating to infectious diseases including pneumonia.

A type of atypical pneumonia appeared recently in some cities of neighboring Guangdong province in south China and has been brought under control with no cases reported since Monday. A few Hong Kong residents were reported to buy vinegar to prevent the disease.

Yeoh said Hong Kong residents should not panic over the disease, because "there is no reason for that."

"I think you just need to take general precautions to prevent droplet infections," Yeoh said.

Director of Health Margaret Chan said no unusual patterns of influenza-like illness and respiratory tract infection including pneumonia have been identified through Hong Kong's surveillance network in the public and private sectors.

Chan reminded the public to take steps to prevent influenza as Hong Kong has entered the usual peak season for influenza between January and March.

(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2003)