Press Releases
Response Team set up to take pro-active actions against AP
The Health, Welfare and Food Bureau (HWFB) confirmed today (April 18) that a multi-disciplinary response team is already in operation to take proactive actions to control the spread of Atypical Pneumonia (AP) in Hong Kong.
In response to press enquiries, a spokesman for the bureau said the multi-disciplinary response team, led by the Department of Health with the HWFB serving as a facilitator, would put together the various technical and professional services that would be required for taking pro-active actions to control the spread of the disease.
The core departments of the multi-disciplinary team are: the Housing Department, Buildings Department, the Police Force and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Other departments would be brought in depending on the nature of the responsive action required.
The key role of the multi-disciplinary response team is to ensure swift and comprehensive investigation work to be conducted. The team will target buildings and/or small geographical areas where there appears to be a cluster of suspected AP cases under formation. It will then map out the measures and actions required for intensive actions and investigation.
The spokesman said as and when a cluster or clusters of AP cases would appear to be under formation, the Team would immediately conduct investigations into the probable causes of the cluster by interviewing patients and their close contacts as well as nearby residents to identify whether there are any issues of common concern.
"Environmental and other swabs will also be taken for laboratory testing to identify and determine the presence of the virus. The team will then visit the building or area in question to examine the nearby environmental conditions.
"Particular attention will be paid on the state of cleanliness of the building, the refuse collection method, the particular building design such as the drainage and other piping systems.
"Based on the then information available, the team will then decide on a series of actions to be taken such as intensifying cleansing and disinfection works in the area, pest control measures, monitoring the health conditions of the residents, inspecting various building services such as the drainage and sewerage systems and issuing guidelines or directives that need to be brought to the attention of the building management, " the spokesman said.
Actions which have recently been taken by various Government departments in response to the Koway Gardens situation include the followings:--
*Alerting the building management agency of the need to maintain satisfactory hygienic conditions and distributing health advice and guidelines on household disinfections to residents;
* Conducting inspections by Health Inspectors to ascertain the state of cleanliness of the building;
* Collating and collecting information from residents by conducting interviews;
* Delivering health talks by the Department of Health and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department;
* Maintaining medical surveillance of the residents and imposing home confinement for household contacts;
* Liaising with the building management and shopping mall on the implementation of pest control measures;
* Collection of environmental swabs for laboratory testing;
* Liaising with the maintenance contractors of the shopping mall on the cleansing and disinfection of the air conditioning and ventilation systems; and
* Inspection of the sewerage system of the buildings.
End/Friday, 18 April 2003
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