As expected, the World Health Organisation earlier today delisted Hong Kong from its list of SARS-infected areas.

However, nobody in the territory is expecting to see an immediate influx of tourists or other visitors, as most have made their travel plans for the remainder of the year.   For example, travelers are only now beginning to return to Vietnam which was the first country in the world to be removed from SARS list on April 28.  The celebratory mood has also been tempered by the experience of Canada which was delisted, only for the virus to return.    Experts have additionally warned that the virus could reappear in Hong Kong this winter.

A total of 1,755 people have been infected with SARS in the territory since the end of March and 296 have died. The mortality rate of nearly 17 percent is far higher than the 6.5 percent seen in mainland China, which was hardest hit by SARS, and scientists are not sure why. 

Hong Kong was delisted after meeting the WTO criteria of having no new cases for 20 consecutive days. In all, 28 people are still being treated for SARS in hospital in the territory, 11 of them in intensive care. The removal of Hong Kong leaves Beijing, Toronto and Taiwan  on the list of areas with the deadly respiratory disease.