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Hong Kong will stand down the SARS Alert Level from May 28, a spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) said today (May 25).
"The decision was made after careful assessment of the threat of SARS in Hong Kong and her neighbouring areas," the spokesman said.
Noting that HK's SARS Alert Level and its corresponding control measures were activated when there were confirmed SARS cases in Beijing and Anhui in April, the spokesman said no confirmed or suspected SARS case in the Mainland were reported since May 4 this year.
Meanwhile, close contacts in Beijing and Anhui who had been placed under medical surveillance were released without evidence of new infections.
The World Health Organisation announced on May 18 that the chain of human-to-human transmission appeared to have been broken.
"In this regard, we consider it appropriate to adjust the existing SARS control measures to more accurately reflect the actual situation," the spokesman said.
With effect from May 28, special border control measures targeted at travellers to and from Beijing and Anhui will be discontinued. Furthermore, doctors are no longer required to report pneumonia patients with travel history to Beijing and Anhui.
"However, health screening measures at all immigration control points, including health declaration and body temperature checks for travelers will remain unchanged," the spokesman said.
Hong Kong will continue to maintain close and proactive liaison with public health authorities of the Mainland, Macau and other countries as well as the World Health Organisation with the ultimate purpose of detecting, preventing and controlling of communicable diseases, the spokesman added.
"We will remain prepared and stay vigilant for the possible return of the disease," the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the Hospital Authority (HA) Central Committee on Infectious Diseases decided that at 9am on May 28 it would stand down the Yellow Alert, which had been activated since April 23.
Members of the public are reminded that the following infection control measures have to be implemented at public hospitals to maintain high vigilance after the standing down of the Yellow Alert:
* To maintain "No Visiting" policy at isolation wards;
* For other wards, no more than two visitors are allowed for each hospitalised patient at the bed side at any one time. Visiting hours in acute wards will be no more than four hours per day; and no more than six hours per day for convalescent and infirmary wards;
* General visitors and members of the public are advised to wash hands frequently and to put on masks when necessary and discard them properly after use.
Ends/Tuesday, May 25, 2004
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