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An inter-departmental meeting was held today (April 30) on the latest Enterovirus (EV71) situation in Hong Kong and neighbouring areas as well as to review current preventive and control measures taken by various parties against the disease.
The meeting was organised by the Centre for Health (CHP) of the Department of Health in anticipation of an increase in EV71 activity during the peak season in summer. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Education Bureau (EDB), Hospital Authority (HA), Social Welfare Department (SWD), Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and Leisure and Cultural Services Department.
Speaking after the meeting, the CHP's Consultant, Community Medicine (Communicable Disease), Dr S K Chuang, said departments concerned agreed that concerted efforts from all sectors of the community are of paramount importance in guarding against the disease.
Dr Chuang said the meeting also discussed further preventive and control strategies being carried out by different parties, as well as planning for scenarios where individual childcare centres and schools are advised to suspend lessons due to EV71 outbreaks.
Dr Chuang said examples of such scenarios included occurrence of further cases in an institution attended by a confirmed EV71 case after stepping up control measures, and occurrence of an EV71 case who is suffering from severe complications and the institution the child is attending has an associated Hand-Food-and-Mouth disease (HFMD) outbreak.
ˇ§As the virus may be excreted in stools for some weeks and EV71 is associated with a higher risk of complication, as an extra precaution, a child who has EV71 infection is advised not to go to school for another two weeks after all symptoms have subsided,ˇ¨ Dr Chuang said.
EV71 is a viral infection usually found among young children. It is also one of the causative agents for HFMD. EV71 and HFMD most commonly affect children and EV71 infections have occurred sporadically in Hong Kong in past years.
Dr Chuang said the CHP had recorded ten EV71 cases so far this year, which was higher than the corresponding periods in previous years. The number of EV71 cases in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 were 35, 8, 16 and 12 respectively.
She added that only a minority of HFMD cases in Hong Kong was caused by EV71 and the CHP's surveillance data showed a mild increase in HFMD activity this month.
ˇ§We have already put in place surveillance systems for HFMD and EV71 infections including outbreak notification, sentinel clinics, and laboratory surveillance,ˇ¨ Dr Chuang said.
Regarding the recent outbreak in Anhui Province, Dr Chuang said the CHP was maintaining close contact with the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China on the development. The CHP has also maintained close communication with the Health Department of Guangdong Province to keep updated on the situation there.
The interdepartmental meeting agreed to carry out the following measures to strengthen the prevention and control of EV71:
* In view of the anticipated summer peak season and the recent situation in neighbouring areas, the CHP, SWD and EDB will send letters to childcare centres and schools detailing the measures they should take to prevent EV71 infections. Earlier in March, the CHP had sent letters to these institutions to advise them about the importance of good personal and environmental hygiene in the prevention of HFMD and EV71.
* With the coordination of the SWD and EDB, the CHP will organise refresher health talks for the managements of childcare centres and schools over the next few weeks with a view to enhancing their knowledge in preventing EV71.
* The departments concerned will launch intensified community education campaigns against EV71 and HFMD via television, radio, at public venues and other channels before the arrival of the EV71 peak season.
* The CHP will issue letters to doctors updating them on the latest situation and solicit their assistance to provide health advice to parents.
"The CHP has also published a guideline on the clinical diagnosis and management of EV71 and uploaded it onto the CHP's website www.chp.gov.hk. for doctors' reference,ˇ¨Dr Chuang said.
The HA has also updated their clinical guideline on enteroviral infection.
To prevent HFMD and EV71 infection, members of the public are urged to strictly observe personal and environmental hygiene. While in Hong Kong or during travel, members of the public are advised to:--
* Wash hands before eating and after going to the toilet and changing diapers;
* Cover nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing, and proper disposal of nasal and mouth discharge;
* Never share personal items such as towels and eating utensils;
* Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, furniture and toilets regularly with diluted bleach of 1:99 concentration (one part household bleach to 99 parts water);
* Disinfect toys/places which are contaminated by secretions or excreta with diluted household bleach of 1:99 concentration;
* Parents should pay attention to the health of their children and seek medical advice if their children develop symptoms of HFMD, especially if the following occurs:
-- Fever not subsided;
-- Repeated vomiting;
-- Persistent sleepiness or drowsiness;
-- Myoclonic jerks
* Children suffering from HFMD should stay at home and avoid contact with other children until they are completely recovered. Parents should maintain close communication with schools to let them know the latest situation of the sick children.
More information on the preventive measures against EV71 and HFMD can be found on the CHP's website (www.chp.gov.hk).
Ends/Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:28
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