Hong Kong: Statutory reporting of Human Swine Influenza

Monday, April 27, 2009
Issued at HKT 20:45

A spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (April 27) said the Government had amended the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599) to include Swine Influenza as one of the statutorily notifiable disease.

The amendment, which has been gazetted and come into effect today, has made Swine Influenza one of the specified diseases for the purpose of border control measures for travelers, the spokesman said.

“Given the recent outbreaks of Human Swine Influenza in Mexico and the United States, we consider that there is a pressing need to strengthen the surveillance of this disease in the community to ensure prompt implementation of effective public health preventive and control measures,” the spokesman said.

The CHP has sent letters to all medical practitioners to inform them of the legislative amendment and reporting criteria.
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People traveling to the affected places should take precautionary measures. These measures include avoiding contact with sick people; avoiding touching one’s eyes, nose or mouth; wash hands frequently with soap and water or apply alcohol-based hand cleaners.

They were also advised to bring along surgical masks for use whenever appropriate, the spokesman said.

“People who develop respiratory illness within 7 days after returning from the affected places should put on a surgical mask and seek medical consultation from public clinics and hospitals immediately,” the spokesman said.