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The Government announced today (April 23) that the Alert Level of the three-level emergency response system relating to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has been activated following the confirmation of two SARS cases and two suspected SARS cases in the Mainland by the Ministry of Health.
An emergency response command structure involving senior officials from the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau, the Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority (HA) has been put in place. It would monitor the developments closely and decide on appropriate action in anticipation of new developments.
According to the Government's emergency response system on SARS, Alert Level would be activated when there was a laboratory-confirmed SARS case(s) outside Hong Kong.
The Controller, Centre for Health Protection, Dr PY Leung, said the DH would maintain close contact with their Mainland counterparts about the situation. "As a preventive measure, the DH is distributing Health Alert Cards to passengers arriving from Beijing and Anhui by air and rail," he said.
Additional healthcare staff have also been deployed to the airport and Hung Hom through-train terminal to watch out for ill people among these passengers, in addition to the ongoing stringent health screening measures, including temperature screening and health declaration.
All inbound flights from these two places and through-trains from Beijing have also been asked to broadcast relevant messages to the passengers.
"Health information leaflets about the situation in Beijing and Anhui and health advice are being distributed to passengers coming from and leaving for these two places," Dr Leung said.
The HA, private hospitals, all doctors, healthcare professionals and laboratory personnel in Hong Kong are being alerted to the incidents.
"They are reminded to maintain vigilance in disease reporting.
"We are also sending letters to all traditional Chinese medicine practitioners to advise them to be vigilant," Dr Leung said.
"Even though Hong Kong has been free from SARS since last June, the general public is reminded to remain vigilant and observe good personal hygiene," he added.
For prevention of respiratory tract infection, the public is advised to adopt the following measures:
* Maintain good personal hygiene, and wash hands after sneezing, coughing or blowing the nose;
* Maintain good ventilation;
* Avoid visiting crowded places with poor ventilation;
* Consult a doctor promptly if respiratory symptoms develop;
* Put on a mask if suffering from respiratory tract infection to reduce the chance of spreading the infection to other people; and
* Build up good body immunity by having a proper diet, regular exercise and adequate rest, reducing stress and avoiding smoking.
Ends/Friday, April 23, 2004
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