A Mexican tourist who was East Asia's first confirmed flu case was among a group of around 350 people released today night at the end of a seven-day quarantine imposed by Hong Kong government, dpa reported The 25-year-old left the city's Princess Margaret Hospital in a Mexican consulate vehicle at 9.15 pm Friday (1315 GMT) after getting the all-clear from an infectious disease specialist. Less than an hour earlier, 286 people guests at the Metropark Hotel where he had briefly stayed last Thursday, were also freed amid jubilant scenes after completing a seven-day quarantine imposed by the government to contain the virus. A further 61 held at a holiday park were also released. One woman guest hugged a policeman wearing a face mask as a file of beaming guests walked out of a seven-day lock-in at the Metropark Hotel. Some held up their hands in signs of triumph as they walked out. Each of the guests left with a certificate by doctors to confirm they were free of any swine flu symptoms as well as a bundle of gifts from the Hong Kong government ahead of their release. Ironically, the gifts included two free nights in another Hong Kong hotel - and some overseas guests said they would take up the offer as it was too late to travel out of Hong Kong when they were released at around 8.30 pm Friday. The guests, along with scores of staff, have been locked in the hotel in the city's Wan Chai district since May 1 when the Mexican tourist was confirmed to have the H1N1 flu virus.
