KARACHI, April 11: The World Health Organization (WHO), while advising people to postpone their travel to SARS risk countries, has emphasized that this recommendation does not apply to passengers transiting through airports.

Manager Cathay Pacific Airways, Happy Minwalla said that the airline has issued a travel health alert which has been posted at check-in counters across its network.

Passengers transiting through Hong Kong airport are not a risk of contracting this disease, he said in a statement.

All the Cathay aircraft are fitted with HEPA filters that capture more than 99.9 per cent of airborne contaminants besides undergoing through sanitation procedure regularly thereby making out aircraft totally safe.

All passengers boarding in Hong Kong are screened for the symptoms and are denied boarding if they exhibit symptoms of the SARS virus, Minwalla said.