Press Releases
SFH on suspected case of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus
Following is the transcript of remarks (English portion) made by the
Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, after attending a
public function this morning (March 10):
Reporter: (On a report received by the Centre for Health Protection
from Queen Elizabeth Hospital last night about a suspected case of
Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus), how
would the Government step up the surveillance measures especially
regarding airline companies?
Secretary for Food and Health: A few days ago, the World Health
Organization notified the 14th confirmed case of infection with new
Novel Coronavirus causing severe respiratory disease. There has been a
total of 14 cases since the discovery of the disease last year. There
are also evidences of human to human transmission in the most recent
cluster of cases in the United Kingdom. There is currently a patient
in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital with a history of travel to the
middle-east and with relevant upper respiratory tract symptoms and
fever. The specimens of the patient have been sent to the Public
Health Laboratory and we could have the result of the rapid test at
noon today, the earliest. I would like to take this opportunity to
appeal to the public to adopt tightened public and personal hygiene
measures. Whenever you are travelling outside Hong Kong, do not get
into contact with wild animals, wild birds and poultry. If you got
upper respiratory tract symptoms and fever within certain days after
you returned to Hong Kong, please take personal protection measures
and see a doctor. In particular, do not take wild animals or wild
birds as a cuisine. Regarding the airlines, we are considering
stepping up preventive measures including incorporating a warning, in
particular for inbound air flights especially from the affected areas,
to alert the air crew as well as the passengers that if they have
fever or upper respiratory tract symptoms, they should report their
situation to the crew members and our port health staff.
Reporter: Is there higher risk right now in terms of the season?
Secretary for Food and Health: At this period of time, when we are in
the transition from winter to spring, it is also the peak of the
seasonal flu as well as other upper respiratory tract illnesses. I
think the whole community at this particular time should tighten the
awareness and preparedness.
(Please also refer to the
Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Sunday, March 10, 2013
Issued at HKT 14:18
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