HK probes cockroach link

Cockroaches may have been to blame for spreading a killer pneumonia virus at a housing block at the centre of the outbreak in Hong Kong, health officials said here on Tuesday.

Dy health director Leung Pak-Yin said investigators were exploring the possibility that cockroaches may have been responsible for infesting an apartment at the Amoy gardens complex.

More than 240 residents of Amoy gardens were quarantined last week, with residents of the estate accounting for 278 of Hong Kong8217;s 883 cases of SARS.

Leung said Hong Kong authorities were looking at whether cockroaches had spread the virus at Amoy gardens, where a massive clean-up is underway.