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There is so far no intelligence to suggest that Hong Kong may be a target of attacks by biological and chemical weapons and the risk of an anthrax attack remains low. Moreover, we have an effective disease surveillance system in force. Hence, there is no cause for undue alarm, a Government spokesman said today (October 15).
In response to press enquiries, the spokesman confirmed that an inter-departmental meeting was held today to review existing arrangements in Hong Kong's mail sorting and treatment procedures for identifying contraband substances, to examine the need for any special measures to enhance protection of the public from possible anthrax attacks through the mail and to address the concern of postal workers in the light of the anthrax scare.
The meeting concluded that Hong Kong's robust and mature system for dealing with suspicious postal items had proved to be effective and additional checking of letters and parcels was unwarranted at this stage.
"At present, selected airmail items are screened by the Customs and Excise Department at the Hong Kong International Airport and the International Mail Centre at Tsim Sha Tsui. Suspicious items are referred to the Police.
"The Hong Kong Post Office handles 3.6 million postal items a day and it is not practicable to screen them all. Enhanced screening will cause undue delay to the general postal service. Besides, legal and privacy concerns have to be taken into consideration," the spokesman said.
He added that a central part of any counter-terrorism strategy must be to map out a response that was proportionate to the threat.
"People identified to be at a higher level of threat have been briefed on clues by which to look out for suspicious letters or parcels, such as those from some unknown sources or with no return address indicated on the envelope. If the recipient has good reason to suspect that the postal item contains anthrax either before or after the item has been opened, he/she should call the Police immediately. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Bureau will deal with the matter," the spokesman said.
He went on to say that there was no need to panic even if a suspicious postal item had been unsealed. Decontamination and treatment could be arranged for anyone believed to have inhaled anthrax.
"The disease is curable upon early detection," he noted.
The spokesman said postal officers would be issued with guidelines on handling of suspicious letters and parcels as soon as tomorrow. There was no need for them to worry.
Representatives from the Economic Services Bureau, the Post Office, the Customs and Excise Department, the Department of Health and the EOD of the Police attended the meeting chaired by the Security Bureau this afternoon.
End/Monday, October 15, 2001
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