Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ15: Atypical pneumonia cases
Following is a question by the Hon Michael Mak and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (February 26):
Question :
The recent outbreak of atypical pneumonia cases in Guangdong Province has claimed several lives and caused extensive public concern in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether it has learnt about the latest morbidity of the disease in the Mainland and the number of such patients so that timely contingency measures can be drawn up;
(b) whether it has requested public and private medical institutions to report on various types of pneumonia cases in recent months for analysing the spread of the disease; if it has, of the results;
(c) how it will step up promotional and educational activities to enhance the alertness of the public and health care personnel to pneumonia cases; and
(d) whether it will discuss with the relevant authorities in Guangdong Province the setting up a notification mechanism on infectious and serious diseases; if it will, of the details, if not, the reasons for that?
Reply :
(a) In connection with the recent pneumonia outbreak in some areas of the Guangdong Province, the Department of Health (DH) has immediately contacted the health authorities in the Mainland by telephone and fax to understand the latest situation. DH also maintains close contact with the Mainland authorities to keep abreast of latest developments.
(b) DH operates an effective surveillance system to monitor the situation of communicable diseases in Hong Kong through a network of hospitals, clinics and laboratories in both the public and private sectors. Although pneumonia is not a statutorily notifiable disease, DH has been monitoring the pattern of the disease through the weekly reporting of in-patient discharges on pneumonia cases provided by the Hospital Authority (HA).
In view of the recent outbreak of pneumonia cases in Guangdong Province and the information obtained from Mainland health authorities, DH has enhanced and refined surveillance on the disease. Information on pneumonia cases is submitted by all public and private hospitals to DH on a weekly basis. From the information collected, we do not observe any unusual patterns of influenza-like illness and respiratory tract infection, including pneumonia, in the past few weeks.
(c) DH has been reminding the public on precautionary measures against influenza-like illness and other respiratory infections during cold weather. In anticipation of the coming peak season for influenza-like illness in January to March, DH has already stepped up educational activities on prevention of the disease since December 2002. In connection with the recent pneumonia outbreak in Guangdong Province, DH had issued a press release and held media interviews to disseminate information obtained from the Mainland authorities, such the total number of cases identified, the major symptoms and the cause of the disease, and to advise the public on precautionary measures. The message was also disseminated to the public and the medical profession through electronic means.
Moreover, HA hospitals and professional societies organise on-going seminars and lectures on pneumonia and related chest diseases for doctors, nurses and other health care workers. At the community level, HA hospitals have also arranged talks for the public and patient groups on various infectious diseases and topics, including pneumonia.
(d) There already exists a mechanism between DH and the health authorities in the Mainland for the exchange of information on communicable diseases, including exchange of reports on selected infectious diseases on a monthly basis. For outbreaks of diseases in the Mainland which are of public health concerns, DH will immediately communicate with the Mainland authorities by various means. In view of the recent pneumonia outbreak, we will further strengthen our communication with the health authorities in the Mainland, and continue to maintain close contact with the World Health Organization (WHO). Currently, the WHO requires notification of all cases of cholera, yellow fever and plague and routine report of statistics on cases of rabies, leprosy, acute flaccid paralysis and virus isolation data (including influenza). We will also report to the WHO incidents involving infectious disease outbreaks which may have global public health significance.
End/Wednesday, February 26, 2003
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