Press Releases

Hong Kong takes steps to prevent SARS

The Hong Kong health authorities are on high alert and have taken necessary preventive measures against SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in the light of the developments of the case of an ethnic Chinese Singapore citizen tested positive for SARS.

Speaking to the media after visiting the Fu Hong Society Rehabilitation Centre today (September 9), the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, said the Department of Health (DH) had contacted the Ministry of Health in Singapore and the World Health Organization (WHO) to learn more about the background of the case. The Singapore authorities would be reporting back to the public on the actual situation later this afternoon.

Dr Yeoh pointed out that it was important for Hong Kong to have direct links with different overseas health authorities, and the WHO in the global surveillance of infectious diseases.

Quoting his recent exchange with the Health Department of Guangdong Province, Dr Yeoh said: "We have established a mechanism for alerting each other in case there are unusual infections occurring under unusual circumstances in infectious diseases that we should be notified of."

As a preventive measure, Dr Yeoh noted that the Government has enhanced health checks on in-coming travellers from Singapore at the Hong Kong International Airport, in addition to the distribution of health alert cards to remind these travellers to stay on the alert.

"Existing health screening measures, including health declaration and temperature screening at border control points, will remain in place. It is imperative that everybody, the community and the visitors alike, must be put on high alert," he added.

DH has alerted private hospitals and private medical practitioners of the Singapore incident.

In the public hospital system, Dr Yeoh said the Hospital Authority (HA) was in the state of readiness to prepare itself for any possible re-emergence of SARS.

On isolation facilities, he said the Government had already allocated more than $400 million to provide 1 290 isolation beds for SARS patients in nine acute hospitals.

He expected the first batch of facilities would be ready by the end of this month, and 70 per cent would be ready by the end of next month.

The HA had activated its alert system in the clinical setting. "We are now evaluating the alert mechanism to see whether any adjustment needs to be made," he said.

The Government and HA had developed contingency plans and this would be tested in due course, he said.

"In the context of the work that we are doing, I would like to assure the public that we have done all we can to better prepare ourselves for the re-emergence of SARS.

"Certainly, we are much better prepared now than we were at the start of the previous outbreak. We should have sufficient facilities and manpower to deal with any possible outbreak. We are all on high alert."

Dr Yeoh called on the public to continue with the good hygiene practices developed during the SARS epidemic.

"I would like to remind the public that we need to continue with our vigilance. Other than the measures that we implemented, the public can also play a very active part."

Meanwhile, in preparation for a possible comeback of SARS, the Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Mrs Carrie Yau, held a meeting this morning to urge the departments concerned to continue to take preventive measures in the coming months.

The measures include requiring students to take temperature every day before attending school, providing enhanced outreach support to elderly homes by DH and HA, strict enforcement of temperature checking for passengers at border control points and maintaining active surveillance at clinics, schools, child care centres and elderly homes.

Participating bureaux and departments included DH, HA, Education and Manpower Bureau, Economic Development and Labour Bureau, Social Welfare Department, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Transport Department, Labour Department, Buildings Department and Information Services Department.

The bureaux and departments will remain vigilant and keep in close touch with various trades and sectors to ensure that the community adopts appropriate preventive measures.

End/Tuesday, September 9, 2003
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