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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) today (Wednesday,June 17) announced a new set of triage and clinical management guidelines for patients with influenza-like infection (ILI) under the progressive mitigation phase of the human swine flu pandemic. The new arrangements, to be effective from tomorrow (June 18), would enable public hospitals to reserve their isolation capacity for confirmed cases and patients with more clinical severe condition.
The HA Director (Quality & Safety), Dr Leung Pak-yin, said ˇ§in the last few days, isolation facilities in public hospitals have started to face a pressing demand to admit the rapidly increasing local cases and an even larger number of their symptomatic close contacts.ˇ¨
ˇ§Starting from tomorrow, only those confirmed patients and those with severe clinical conditions will be admitted to the hospitalsˇ¨
Public hospitals and the Designated Flu Clinics (DFCs) will continue to provide anti-viral treatment, medication for symptom control and information on self-care at home to symptomatic patients. Tests will be done on selected patients, pregnant women, children aged two or below, and those with positive travel history, occupational exposure, contact history or clustering. The patients will be advised to rest at home. They will be called back when the laboratory investigation for human swine influenza is positive. Arrangement will be made to transport patients to the hospitals for isolation.
The DFCs today (as at 5pm) provide treatment to a total of 300 patients.
The HA spokesman reminded the public that the eight DFCs have ceased the provision of general outpatient services. Patients with other illnesses are advised to seek medical treatment at other general outpatient clinics in the district or private practitioners. Chronic patients who have been pre-scheduled for follow up at the eight DFCs should proceed to their corresponding clinics with drug refill service according to their date of original appointment and bring along the appointment slip and Identity Card.
Ends/Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Issued at HKT 20:50
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