THE businessman who was being treated at Northwick Park Hospital for suspected Sars is now recovering at home.

The man, who has not been named, was thought to have been exposed to the deadly virus when he met a businessman from Hong Kong over three weeks ago. He was admitted to the hospital in Watford Road, Harrow, on April 11, becoming the sixth suspected victim of severe acute respiratory syndrome case in Britain.

He was released from isolation on Sunday after making a full recovery. But a spokeswoman for the hospital said that it is still impossible to be sure if he'd actually had Sars or not.

She said: "We can't determine whether he had it, but we can't rule it out either. Other patients at the hospital should feel assured, however, that there is absolutely no reason for them to be concerned."

A number of people due to be admitted to the hospital had contacted it worried the possible risk to their health.

The man, who is in his 40s and from the NW London area, had not travelled to any of the areas of the world affected by Sars, but his symptoms fitted the World Health Organization's definition of the virus, including fever, aches, dry cough and shortness of breath.

And he had been in direct contact with someone who was later himself admitted to hospital with Sars symptoms. The men met on April 3 at the Marriott Heathrow Hotel, where the Hong Kong visitor had stayed the previous night. He then flew to Germany.