HK stays vigilant against possible SARS

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, January 20, 2004

HK stays vigilant against possible SARS

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The Housing Department of Hong Kong conducted on Jan. 19 a drill to enhance the alertness and preparedness of its frontline staff in dealing with possible resurgence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

The Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands (Housing), Leung Chin-man, witnessed the drill and noted that the Department would stay vigilant against the communicable disease outbreak.

He said the department was committed to keeping the estate clean through the implementation of the Marking Scheme and called on tenants' support to cleanliness efforts.

The drill Monday is designed to test the application of the Department's Contingency Plan for SARS Outbreak, which was compiled last month in response to an earlier recommendation by the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau which said that individual departments should devise their own departmental contingency plans.

The plan sets out clear operational guidelines for staff under a three-level response system based on the level and nature of risks.

In the simulation exercise, a tenant of Lei Yue Mun Estate was confirmed to have SARS, activating Level 2 of the contingency plan.

A special cleansing team was called in, accompanied by staff from the Department of Health and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, for thorough disinfection of the concerned flat.

Immediate inspection to the drainage system and vent pipe inside the infected unit was also made, together with disinfections and cleaning of other public facilities, including lift lobbies and lifts. About 30 staff and cleansing workers took part in the drill.

Apart from this, the department will continue to deter hygiene-related misdeeds through the Marking Scheme. Since August last year, more than 1,260 tenants have been allotted with points for misdeeds such as littering and spitting, among them 16 were allotted with more than ten points each.

HK experts check SARS safeguards progress

A panel of Hong Kong health experts which will monitor the implementation of SARS safeguards began its first meeting on Jan. 19

The Monitoring Committee on Implementation of the SARS Expert Committee Report's Recommendations will check Hong Kong's state of readiness for handling any possible resurgence of the virus.

Members of the committee agreed that written materials for review by the committee and records of the meeting will be posted on Hong Kong's Health, Welfare and Food Bureau website as soon as practicable to enhance public understanding on the work being doneon SARS and public health.

During the three-day meeting, the committee will discuss progress reports by the bureau's task force responsible for co-ordinating the implementation of the recommendations.

Members will also visit the Public Health Laboratory Center and a hospital to inspect the measures and facilities in place and to hear the views of frontline staff on the improvements made since last year's outbreak. They will also discuss research and training with academics.

The committee was appointed by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Tung Chee Hwa in October to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the SARS Expert Committee Report. The committee will make periodic reports to the Chief Executive on the progress of implementing SARS recommendations.

Source: Xinhua

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