Taiwan and Singapore's newly- discovered SARS cases illustrate the peril of the killing disease, a medical expert in Hong Kong said Thursday.

Guan Yi, associate professor of the University of Hong Kong, said man must stay on high alert over SARS, even the researchers cannot neglect the safety regulations.

On a relevant development, the Taiwan's new SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) patient did not abide by the home quarantine and left home for a clinic, a health official said Thursday.

Regarding the reports, Guan told Xinhua that it was very dangerous to overlook the danger of SARS.

"The virus is existing around us and can catch us anytime when we are reckless."

There are now two labs in Hong Kong that keep samples of SARS. Guan's lab is one of them, which he said has been treated by his research group "very carefully."

"Singapore and Taiwan's SARS cases were all due to the neglect of safety procedures, which therefore is a alarm bell for all the researcher on SARS," Guan said.

Guan said according to his current study result, he cannot tell whether or not SARS will come back this year.

"But I do not agree that it comes back annually, like the flu disease," he said.

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