'Sars Led To The Mainland Improving Transparency'

A University of Hong Kong virologist who was closely involved in the battle against Sars in 2003, Malik Peiris, says a positive change the deadly outbreak brought was a vastly improved sharing of information between the territory and Guangdong province.

Thursday marks the 15th anniversary of the World Health Organisation naming the deadly illness that emerged across the border as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars).

Sars infected more than 1,700 people in Hong Kong and caused close to 300 deaths before the epidemic finally ended. At its height, schools in the city were closed, people were quarantined and usually crowded public places and streets were deserted.

Sars also spread to more than 30 other places around the world

There were already rumours of a deadly virus striking people in Guangdong before the Sars outbreak was eventually confirmed. Professor Peiris said since that time, transparency has greatly improved.

"That is one of the major changes that have taken place. Prior to that incident of Sars, essentially the direct sharing of information regarding public health matters between Guangdong and Hong Kong was fairly low, because the channels went through Beijing," he said on RTHK's 'Hong Kong Today'.

"Subsequent to Sars of course, that situation has changed so there is a lot of routine information sharing that goes on directly between Guangdong and Hong Kong. And very rightly so, given the fact that we are now part of the big Pearl River Delta region with a lot of people moving from Guangdong to Hong Kong."

"Public health responses in mainland China have improved as well," Peiris added.

The virologist also said the emergence of Sars ended complacency globally over the dangers of infectious diseases.