Beijing: Ten Indian sailors who complained of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) like conditions were admitted to a hospital in Hong Kong, where the epidemic recorded the lowest of eight new cases and five deaths since March even as the condition was "severe" in China as seven more people succumbed and 163 new infections were reported on May 4.

Ten Indian sailors on board a Malaysian cargo vessel were reportedly admitted to a Hong Kong hospital and 14 other crew were ordered to stay in quarantine for 10 days aboard the ship, which was moored off an uninhabited island this morning.

Although doctors attending on them said none of the Indians admitted had any fever, they could not rule out SARS as the Malaysian ship had called on three ports, which had reported SARS deaths - Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

The Indian seamen, who were on a dose of antibiotics, had complained of fever several days ago and some had showed SARS-specific symptoms like dry cough and muscle and joint pain.

Officials in Hong Kong heaved a sigh of relief as the island for the first time reported less than 10 new infections since March 12. The killer disease has so far killed 184 people in the island while more than 1600 people have been infected. As many as 917 patients have recovered and been discharged from Hong Kong hospitals, 19 of them on May 4, health officials said.

PTI