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A spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (April 27) said the Government had amended the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599) to include Swine Influenza as one of the statutorily notifiable disease.
The amendment, which has been gazetted and come into effect today, has made Swine Influenza one of the specified diseases for the purpose of border control measures for travelers, the spokesman said.
ˇ§Given the recent outbreaks of Human Swine Influenza in Mexico and the United States, we consider that there is a pressing need to strengthen the surveillance of this disease in the community to ensure prompt implementation of effective public health preventive and control measures,ˇ¨ the spokesman said.
The CHP has sent letters to all medical practitioners to inform them of the legislative amendment and reporting criteria.
Forms of notifications are available at Central Notification Office (CENO) On-line, the web-based reporting system of CHP at http://www.chp.gov.hk/ceno.
Doctors may also download the form and report by fax at 2477 2770. Enquiries about reporting can also be made to CENO at 2477 2772.
Meanwhile, the spokesman reiterated that surveillance measures at boundary control points had been stepped up to detect travellers with fever and respiratory symptoms and coming from places where cases of human infection of Swine Influenza were reported.
The spokesman said airlines had been asked to broadcast health advice messages on all direct flights coming from the affected places.
ˇ§Passengers with respiratory symptoms are urged to approach Port Health officers at the Airport for follow-up investigations,ˇ¨ the spokesman said.
People traveling to the affected places should take precautionary measures. These measures include avoiding contact with sick people; avoiding touching oneˇ¦s eyes, nose or mouth; wash hands frequently with soap and water or apply alcohol-based hand cleaners.
They were also advised to bring along surgical masks for use whenever appropriate, the spokesman said.
ˇ§People who develop respiratory illness within 7 days after returning from the affected places should put on a surgical mask and seek medical consultation from public clinics and hospitals immediately,ˇ¨ the spokesman said.
Ends/Monday, April 27, 2009
Issued at HKT 20:45
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