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Hong Kong and Shenzhen health quarantine authorities today (June 19) organised a joint exercise, code-named Compass, on emergency response to suspected human cases of avian flu.
The exercise, conducted at Shenzhen Bay Port this morning, aimed to test the emergency response, notification and co-operation mechanism of the two places on handling cross-boundary public health emergencies.
A total of 80 people from different departments of the two places took part in the exercise.
The exercise conducted on the Hong Kong side depicted a scenario whereby a passenger on board a private car entering Hong Kong from Shenzhen via Shenzhen Bay Port was found to have fever by the Port Health staff of the Department of Health at the check point.
Initial enquiries at the scene indicated that the man might have been infected with avian flu. He was immediately taken to Princess Margaret Hospital for further treatment. Thorough disinfection was also conducted on the private car involved.
At the same time, a car carrying six people from Hong Kong was stopped by Mainland health quarantine officers at Shenzhen Bay Port after one of them was found to have avian flu symptoms including fever.
The Shenzhen health quarantine authority immediately activated its emergency response system.
As two of the passengers who had close contact with the patient but had developed no symptoms asked to return to Hong Kong, the Shenzhen health quarantine officers notified their Hong Kong counterparts to make the necessary arrangements, including the transfer and medical surveillance of the passengers concerned.
The Director of Health, Dr P Y Lam, paid a visit to Shenzhen Bay Port to observe the conduct of the exercise.
Dr Lam said exercises of this kind were essential in view of the increasing flow of travellers between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
"The exercise further strengthens the communication and collaboration of Hong Kong and Shenzhen in emergency preparedness and response to public health crises.
"It also highlighted the importance of timely notification and collaboration for early detection of suspected cross boundary human cases of avian flu and other major infectious diseases," Dr Lam said.
Other government departments that took part in the exercise were the Immigration Department, Customs and Excise Department, Police, Fire Services Department and Radio Television Hong Kong.
Ends/Thursday, June 19, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:32
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