Jason Leung now able to sit unassisted and log on to Internet

Manila bloodbath survivor Jason Leung Song-xue, who suffered from severe head injuries in the August hostage tragedy, has moved out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following a significant improvement in his condition.

Speaking to the media Wednesday, the head of neurosurgery at Tuen Mun Hospital, Dr Dawson Fong, said Jason, 18, can remember his own name now and that of his mother, Amy Leung Ng Yau-woon. He can also perform simple gestures such as holding hands and making the "OK" sign.

Since there is no immediate threat to his survival and there are no complications, Leung has been moved from the ICU to a High Dependency Unit.

Secretary for Food and Health York Chow commented that he was happy to see Jason "has made some improvement, particularly in his eye movement. "He is able to focus and have some communications with people around him, including his mother," Chow said. "He can move his hands. Generally I think he is able to move his hands at will and this is good progress."

Since Leung was brought home and underwent several operations to remove parts of his skull and 13 bone fragments from his brain, there has been no infection and his condition has steadily improved through the collaborative efforts of Hong Kong medical staff.

"Jason's condition has improved significantly after waking up. Apart from physiotherapists, there are also occupational therapists, speech therapists and dietitians working around the clock to monitor his condition," said Fong. "We also have clinical psychologists as well as psychiatrists to look after his emotions."

Magnetic resonance imaging shows that Jason's motor area suffered the greatest damage, Fong revealed. Treatment in the early stage will focus on controlling oral movement.

Fong voiced the hope that Jason soon will enter the next stage of recovery when he is able to eat without assistance and move his limbs. "Jason would hold your hand tightly to show that he was capable of doing it. He can hold up his hand to say goodbye to visitors," he said.

"We notice his legs have gained strength lately but speaking of walking, there is still a long way to go," Fong noted. The hospital plans to put part of Jason's skull back in place in two months.

Nerita Chan, physiotherapist at the hospital, elaborated Jason's rehabilitation has been enhanced with the focus of treatment on his head and neck. He is able to sit up unassisted to watch television and log onto the Internet, Chan said.

At the press conference, a letter to the public from Jason's mother was read by the Hospital Authority's head Anthony Wu.

"Jason's improvement is a collaborative achievement made by the cross-department medical team at Tuen Mun Hospital. I sincerely thank Dr Fong and his teammates. Specialists from different departments work together to formulate a plan which suits the best for Jason, I feel at ease and relieved," Leung wrote.

Jason was struck by a heavy object during the last stage of the tragedy. There has been speculation he may have been struck by a hammer wielded by police to smash the windows of the bus. But the report into the hijacking did not mention the cause of Jason's injuries.

The teenager's father and two sisters were among the eight Hong Kong people killed during the hostage taking on August 23. His mother is the only member of his family to escape unscathed.

China Daily

(HK Edition 10/21/2010 page1)