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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesman announced today (December 21) the activation of the Serious Response Level in public hospitals to tie in with the Government's raising the response level for avian influenza from "Alert" to "Serious". An urgent meeting of the HA Central Committee on Infectious Diseases and Emergency Responses was convened this morning to discuss the arrangements and implementation of a series of measures to enhance monitoring and infection control in public hospitals and clinics.
The HA spokesman said hospital staff at Accident and Emergency Departments and general outpatient clinics were reminded to be vigilant to patients, especially poultry workers and chicken farmers. Triage assessment and appropriate segregation at waiting areas would be arranged for high risk patients.
"The Centre for Health Protection will implement medical surveillance for poultry wholesalers and workers in the Wholesale Poultry Market and chicken farmers. Referral for admission will be directed to the HA Infectious Disease Centre at Princess Margaret Hospital.
"Furthermore, to enhance laboratory support for conducting rapid tests for symptomatic patients, the laboratory network service covering all hospital clusters has been enhanced to seven days a week including Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays."
Under the Serious Response Level, more stringent infection control measures will be enforced in public hospitals, which include no visiting at isolation wards except on compassionate grounds. For general acute hospitals, visiting hours are limited to not more than four hours a day and two persons at a time, while for infirmary/convalescent hospitals, they are limited to not more than six hours a day and two persons at a time. Visitors to public hospitals and clinics are advised to wear surgical masks if they have respiratory infection symptoms, and to perform hand hygiene before and after visiting patient areas.
According to the spokesman, the HA will continue to work closely with the Centre for Health Protection in monitoring the latest situation, and keep the general public and health care workers updated on any developments.
Ends/Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:31
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