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The Government today (March 11) launched the Preparedness and Response Plan for Zika Virus Infection which sets out the preparedness and response plan when Zika virus may have a significant public health impact on Hong Kong. In parallel, the Alert Response Level was activated with immediate effect.
"The Plan aims to provide a framework for a response system for agreed and coordinated efforts among different government departments and relevant organisations with a view to reducing the public health impact of Zika on the Hong Kong population," a spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health said.
The Plan adopts a three-tier response level system, comprising Alert, Serious and Emergency, with each level representing a graded risk of Zika virus affecting Hong Kong and its health impact on the community. It defines corresponding command structures and public health response measures, and serves as a tool for clear communication of the level of risk to the public.
Under the Alert Response Level, the immediate health impact caused by Zika virus on local population is low.
"We note that currently there are human cases occurring in countries/areas with possibilities of significant travel and trade with Hong Kong, while the World Health Organization has announced that Zika constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and is maintaining a global alert," the spokesman said.
"We will closely monitor the global and regional situation as well as experts' views, and maintain close liaison with the Hospital Authority, private hospitals, and medical professional and non-governmental organisations. Relevant government bureaux/departments and organisations will perform prevention and control measures based on the Plan, step up vector control and provide specific advice to persons in reproductive age groups," the spokesman added.
Works and relevant departments will enforce guidelines and enhance supervision of contractors and sites' supervisory staff for prevention and control of Zika. Relevant agencies and organisations should take note of this Plan in devising their own contingency plans and response measures.
"The Government will assess the risk from time to time in view of the latest scientific evidence and situation, activate or deactivate the response level and implement corresponding measures," the spokesman said.
The Plan has been uploaded to the CHP's Zika page (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/43086.html).
Ends/Friday, March 11, 2016
Issued at HKT 11:50
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