12 Feb 2009
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) advised a kindergarten to suspend classes starting tomorrow (February 13) upon receiving report of a gastroenteritis outbreak involving 27 students today (February 12).
The kindergarten concerned is "Creative Kindergarten (Tsing Yi)". Investigation by CHP revealed that 27 students, comprising 16 boys and 11 girls aged between two and five, developed symptoms of gastroenteritis, including diarrhoea and vomiting, since February 5.
Twenty-one of the affected consulted private doctors and one attended Accident and Emergency Department of Yan Chai Hospital. All of them did not require hospitalization and are now in stable condition.
The spokesman said that CHP advised the kindergarten to suspend classes from tomorrow to February 16 for thorough cleansing and disinfection.
He said, "This is a precautionary measure to prevent further spreading of disease in the kindergarten. CHP had conducted field visit to the institution and provided health instructions to the staff."
"CHP will keep a close watch on the situation."
"The kindergarten will notify the parents of the class suspension arrangement. Parents are advised to pay attention to the health condition of their children, and to remind them to observe good personal and environmental hygiene."
To prevent contracting gastroenteritis, members of the public are advised to-
* Ensure proper personal hygiene;
* Wash hands thoroughly before eating or preparing food and after using toilet or handling vomitus or faecal matter;
* Avoid food that is not thoroughly cooked.
Members of the public can obtain more information on the prevention of gastroenteritis from CHP's website ( http://www.chp.gov.hk ) or call the Central Health Education Unit hotline, 2833 0111.