A woman and her teenage daughter have fled to south Essex to escape the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) virus which is sweeping Hong Kong.
Lynne Poel and 16-year-old Heather have been in quarantine in South Woodham Ferrers while Lynne's shipbroker husband, Philip, remains in the former British colony where 40 new cases a day are being reported.
Lynne said: "You would not believe how dangerous it is over there. You must not touch people and everyone is terrified.
In quarantine : Lynne Poel and daughter Heather have fled Hong Kong and the deadly Sars virus Picture: PAUL ROBINS
"The streets are full of people with face masks on. It is like a science fiction movie."
Heather, who is studying for her AS levels, cannot go to school because it has been closed, while more than one third of the 500 daily flights into the city have been cancelled.
Restaurants and hotels are empty while travel companies risk going out of business.
Most of the ex-patriot population have already fled, mostly to Australia.
Lynne said the epidemic had been traced to a doctor who brought it from mainland China, where he had been treating affected patients.
She said: "He sneezed in a lift and the other five people who were in there have since died."
The World Health Organisation has advised people to cancel all non-essential travel to Hong Kong and the neighbouring Chinese province, Guandong.
The pneumonia-like illness has already struck five Britons, including one from Essex who was taken to Broomfield Hospital before being transferred to Addenbrookes in Cambridge.
Published Friday, April 11, 2003
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