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Following is the transcript (English portion) of a media stand-up given by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, in Bangkok today (April 29):
Chief Executive: I apologise for being late in coming down because I was taking a few phone calls with regard to a group who is travelling in Taiwan. Unfortunately, I just learnt that a girl has a suspected SARS case. It is very unfortunate, so she may be compelled to stay in a hospital in Taiwan. Because of this, I've asked the Taiwan authority to agree to allow the other thirty travellers to be repatriated by us through a chartered flight. If all goes well when they come back, everything will be fine. But if necessary, they might have to go through home isolation. It will depend on the situation at that time.
Reporter: ... people will doubt whether the measures we have been taking have been effective enough if we are trying to contain the virus from spreading to other countries?
Chief Executive: I think on the whole the measures are very, very effective. As you can see from the numbers, as you can see from what Dr Heymann of WHO had said about Hong Kong. There may be occasionally one case here or there. But on the whole, it has been very, very effective.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion.)
End/Tuesday, April 29, 2003
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