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SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1986
THE FIRST CASE WAS A 67-YEAR-OLD MAN, A CLEANER WHO LIVES IN TSE WAN SHAN. HE WAS FIRST ADMITTED TO QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL ON JULY 31 AND WAS TRANSFERRED TO PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL ON AUGUST 1.
THE SECOND PATIENT IS A 60-YEAR-OLD WOMAN, A FACTORY WORKER IN KWUN TONG. SHE WAS FIRST ADMITTED TO UNITED CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL AND LATER TRANSFERRED TO PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL YESTERDAY.
THE THIRD CASE IS A 59-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO IS ALSO A FACTORY WORKER LIVING IN KWUN TONG, SHE WAS REFERRED TO PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL YESTERDAY BY A PRIVATE DOCTOR.
STAFF OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE URABN SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAVE VISITED AND DISINFECTED THE HOME AND WORK PLACE OF THE FIRST PATIENT. HIS FAMILY CONTACTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN PREVENTIVE DRUGS AND ARE KEPT UNDER MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE.
MEANWHILE, HEALTH STAFF ARE ALSO VISITNG THE HOMES AND WORK PLACES OF THE OTHER TWO PATIENTS TO GIVE THEIR CONTACTS MEDICAL CHECK UP AND TO DISINFECT THE PREMISES.
DIFFICULT TALKS TO REACH MFA AGREEMENT
*****
NON-STOP TALKS LASTING 26 HOURS WITHOUT PAUSE FOR SLEEP WERE REQUIRED TO REACH AGREEMENT ON THE EXTENSION OF THE MFA, THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID TODAY.
HE SAID THE NEGOTIATIONS HAD BEEN +VERY DIFFICULT+ AND COMMENTED: +A COMBINATION OF RESISTANCE TO THE PROPOSED EXTENSION OF COVERAGE TO NON-MFA FIBRES SUCH AS RAMIE AND SILK, AND EXPECTATIONS RAISED SOMEWHAT BY EEC STATEMENTS OF THE INTENTION TO MOVE IN A LIBERAL DIRECTION, MEANT THAT IT WAS ONLY IN THE LAST FEW HOURS THAT A COMPROMISE WAS REACHED.
+ INDEED, THE TALKS RAN ON TO ABOUT MIDDAY ON FRIDAY, THOUGH SCHEDULED TO FINISH BY MIDNIGHT THURSDAY, THE LAST 26 HOURS OF TALKS WERE EFFECTIVELY NON-STOP, WITH NO PAUSES FOR SLEEP.
+WHILE THERE HAS NOT BEEN TIME FOR A DETAILED COMPARISON OF THE NEW PROTOCOL WITH THE ONE IT REPLACED, ON BALANCE - APART FROM THE EXTENSION OF COVERAGE TO VEGETABLE FIBRES AND SILK BLENDS, WHICH HONG KONG HAD ALREADY ANTICIPATED IN ITS BILATERAL AGREEMENT WITH THE U.S. I WOULD SAY THE NEW RULES ARE A MODEST IMPROVEMENT, SAID MR MACLEOD.
/+WE ARE