Press Releases
Transcript of media session by SHWF
Following is the transcript (English portion) of a media session by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, after attending Lions Forum today (January 31):
Dr Chow: At the moment, we are trying to seek information from China regarding the outbreak of the meningococcal infection. It seems to be serious because there are a number of fatalities. We want to know whether this is something that has been endemic for sometime; whether this is a new strain because a special vaccination is available for meningococcal infection. We are seeking those information.
Reporter: Is it a viral infection or bacterial infection?
Dr Chow: It is a bacterial infection.
Reporter: The same as Manila then, in the Philippines?
Dr Chow: It could be similar but not necessarily the same strain.
Reporter: Any plan?
Dr Chow: You need to seek the information first before you can prepare any particular plan.
Reporter: How can you get the information? Waiting for an answer maybe for a year?
Dr Chow: We need to seek information from the hospitals and also the health authorities from the local areas.
Reporter: How likely the red fire ants could be eliminated? Or we need to learn to co-exist with them?
Dr Chow: I doubt that it can be totally eliminated. I think we really want to see how we can control it, particularly, in the areas that it might cause harm to our agriculture, our trees, and our vegetation; particularly in the public parks, place where there are a lot of people walking around. We probably can't eliminate them, particularly, in those hillsides where nobody actually walks around. So there is a possibility that they are here to stay.
Reporter: Given the experience in Taiwan that the RIFA (Red Imported Fire Ants) has attacked cables, do you think this will happen in Hong Kong?
Dr Chow: So far we cannot make that assessment yet. We have to see how extensive the ant is affecting Hong Kong.
Reporter: Which issue is more concern for you? There is bird flu, meningococcal infection and red fire ants now, is it because the tsunami effect? Why there are so many infectious diseases?
Dr Chow: First of all, I don't think the red fire ant comes after the tsunami. We always face natural threats all the time. I think our scientific evidence is now much faster in terms of it appearing. We also have very good scientists. I am sure lots of those natural disasters in the past were attributed to something unknown but rather related to the same cause. We have the same problem with all the chicken diseases in the past, and I am sure they are related to avian influenza which was only identified in 1997.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript)
Ends/Monday, January 31, 2005
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