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As at 3 pm today (September 26), the Department of Health's (DH) hotline 2961 8966 received a total of 554 enquiries on dengue fever.
Most of the calls were general enquiries. Thirty-six callers, being 31 male and five female aged between 19 and 59, worked or lived in Ma Wan. Among them, 15 callers, 13 male and two female aged 20 to 59, were referred to DH's regional offices for blood tests as they developed symptoms of fever earlier. Five other callers (two male and three female aged 29 to 40) who visited Ma Wan were also referred to regional offices for blood tests as they were found to have fever earlier. None was admitted to hospital.
The hotline, operated since September 21, is manned from 9 am to 5 pm daily by healthcare professionals.
DH has uploaded useful information on mode of transmission, symptoms and preventive measures of dengue fever to its health education hotline 2833 0111. Similar information is found in DH's website http://www.info.gov.hk/dh.
DH works closely with other Government departments such as the Education Department, Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and Highways Department to organize health talks for the school community and partners concerned. They will begin early next week.
Pamphlets and posters on dengue fever were sent to various Government departments for display and distribution to the public. Members of the public may also access copies of related educational materials from DH's Maternal and Child Health Centres, Women Health Centres, Elderly Health Centres, Student Health Centres and General Out-patient Clinics.
End/Thursday, September 26, 2002
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