The patient was believed to have taken a taxi from the Hong Kong International Airport to the hotel together with two friends that traveled together with him. He also met a local friend after arriving in Hong Kong.

The three were now in quarantine, Chow said, urging the driver of the taxi to call health authorities for help.

Prevention measures in Public places

Chief Executive Donald Tsang urged local residents to keep calm, saying that he would head a task force to fight the flu and the HKSAR government would try its best to contain the spread of the virus.

The Airport Authority and the city's transit system operator MTR soon announced that they were following the steps of the HKSAR government to enhance health security.

The Hospital Authority announced that they were raising the alert levels and requiring those who visit hospitals to wear masks.

Nevertheless, Tsang said it was not necessary for the public to panic and the daily activities such as schooling and businesses should proceed as normal, but strict health security and prevention measures should be put in place.

A public gathering at an outlying island that had been expected to attract thousands of visitors should also proceed, as there was only one case and the risk of an outbreak at the community level remained low, Chow said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 2, 2009)