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In response to today's (May 22) news report of the Cable TV on the Amoy Gardens SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak last year, a Government spokesman said the report mixed up the Government's discussions on the impact and effects of possible quarantine measures in general with the specific issue of the handling of the Amoy Gardens outbreak.
"There was no delay in controlling and managing the outbreak of the Amoy Gardens. This has been confirmed by the SARS Expert Committee, who considered that the outbreak of the Amoy Gardens was well handled overall," the spokesman said.
The following facts and clarifications are relevant:
On handling of the Amoy Gardens outbreak
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*The fact that a number of infection cases came from the Amoy Gardens was first noted by the Chief Executive's SARS Steering Committee (CESC) at its meeting on March 26, 2003.
*The CESC noted the initial observation of the concentration of cases on two units on various floors in Block E of Amoy Gardens on March 29, 2003 and that investigations were in full swing in understanding the phenomenon. The meeting agreed that actions should be taken to plan and prepare for the worst case scenario, including the possibility of the imposition of quarantine measures on the building, when warranted.
*A multi-disciplinary team led by Department of Health comprising experts from all relevant departments conducted site inspections at Amoy Gardens on March 29, 2003 and reported the preliminary investigation findings at the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau Task Force meeting in the afternoon of March 30, 2003.
*While preparatory work was already underway after the Task Force meeting on March 30, 2003, the decision to issue an isolation order in respect of Block E of the Amoy Gardens was endorsed at an emergency meeting of the CESC in the evening of March 30, 2003. The isolation order was implemented in the early morning of March 31, 2003.
On quarantine measures
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*At the first two meetings of the CESC on March 25 and 26, 2003 respectively, the committee primarily reviewed the measures taken at that time to control the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong and discussed the general issue of the impact and effects of possible quarantine measures, including voluntary home confinement and reporting at designated medical centres; mandatory home confinement; and isolation camps.
*The Government announced on March 27, 2003 a number of public health control measures, including the setting up of designated medical centres by the Department of Health for medical surveillance of close contacts of SARS patients.
Ends/Saturday, May 22, 2004
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