Hong Kong Lawmaker Blasts SARS Decision
By MARGARET WONG
HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong lawmaker on Monday criticized the government for allowing the transfer of an American SARS patient who had been treated across the border in mainland China but was dead on arrival at a hospital here.
“He was not a Hong Kong resident,” pro-democracy lawmaker Albert Ho said during a legislative panel on SARS. “He was not a Chinese citizen. Why did we take him in under this circumstance? It was very unfair to our health workers.”
James Salisbury, 52, was driven to Hong Kong in an ambulance from the border city of Shenzhen on Wednesday.
A friend, David Westbrook, said Salisbury appeared dead before he left Shenzhen and alleged that Chinese authorities agreed to move him so they could avoid the fatality of a foreigner from severe acute respiratory syndrome on mainland soil.
But Salisbury’s family said it had made the request and Shenzhen health officials disputed Westbrook’s contentions. Salisbury, who was from Orem, Utah, had taught in Shenzhen.
Ho said it was unfair to bring another SARS patient into Hong Kong, where stressed hospital workers are working overtime to handle a flood of SARS cases. Hong Kong has had more than 1,100 people sickened by SARS and at least 40 have died.
“It really was unusual for this to happen and therefore we really appreciate the Hong Kong government’s help,” said U.S. Consulate General spokeswoman Susan N. Stevenson here.
Salisbury’s 6-year-old son, Mickey, was brought here with his father. Mickey had been hospitalized in Hong Kong for observation for SARS but health officials said Monday afternoon it was not clear where he was or what condition he was in.
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