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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of Department of Health today (May 16) urged people to maintain up-to-date measles immunisation of their children to prevent this childhood infection.
The appeal was made following signs of a seasonal increase in the number of measles cases recorded in May in Hong Kong. This is consistent with historical pattern of measles where the peak season usually occurred in May and June.
A CHP spokesman said that 11 cases were recorded in the first half of May while in April, there were a total of 11 cases.
Nine of the 11 cases notified in the first half of May were children aged two years or below. The majority of measles cases either did not have up-to-date measles vaccination or were not yet due for vaccination.
Six of the 22 cases in April and May, 2006, were children who spent most of their time living in Guangdong.
The spokesman said the key to preventing measles was to maintain up-to-date vaccination against the disease. This was especially important as the seasonal increase in measles was arriving in Hong Kong.
¡§Children living in Hong Kong should receive a first dose of measles vaccine at 12 months of age, followed by a second dose of the vaccine when they enter Primary One (around 6 years of age)¡¨.
¡§Parents whose children live in Guangdong most of the time are advised to take them to healthcare providers for vaccination according to the Guangdong schedule.
¡§They may also seek advice from DH¡¦s Maternal & Child Health Centers (MCHCs),¡¨ he said.
The spokesman said CHP was sending letters to alert doctors about the seasonal rise in measles cases in Hong Kong. Schools and childcare centres will also be reminded about the importance of measles vaccination.
In Hong Kong, measles vaccine, usually administered in the form of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, are provided by MCHCs, School Immunisation Teams, and private doctors.
Measles vaccine coverage in Hong Kong is generally high. The spokesman said that a survey in 2003 found more than 99% of local-born children aged two to five had up-to-date immunisation against measles.
Ends/Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:50
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