25 Oct 2010
The preparedness of government departments and relevant organisations to respond effectively to a major infectious disease incident was today (October 25) put to test during an exercise organised by the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health in collaboration with other relevant government departments and organisations.
Code-named Nephrite, the exercise aims to test relevant departments' response to an imported case of plague. The one-day exercise comprised of two parts. The first gauged the handling of patients and infection control measures at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) while the second tested the procedure for epidemiological investigation, disease surveillance and control at the index case's simulated home at Lady MacLehose Holiday Village.
The exercise scenario unfolded when a businessman fell ill after attending a business meeting in a country which was known to be endemic for plague. He was admitted to PMH for examination and diagnosed to have contracted plague.
The index patient lives with his wife and two children in a low density private housing estate surrounded by bushes and trees in the New Territories, where disease control measures, including disinfection and disinsection were carried out by frontline staff geared with personal protective equipment.
No plague symptoms were found among the index patient's neighbours.
The exercise ended with the evacuation of the affected households to a quarantine centre.
The Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, accompanied by the Director of Health, Dr P Y Lam, visited the index patient's simulated home at Lady MacLehose Holiday Village to observe frontline operation.
Dr Chow noted that the Government had been conducting regular exercises to test the readiness of government departments and relevant organizations in responding to major infectious disease outbreaks and public health emergencies.
“Today's exercise provided a valuable opportunity for the Department of Health and other concerned departments and organisations to try out relevant contingency plans and identify areas for improvements in the system.
“It also tests the communication and coordination among various government departments and units upon detection of an imported case of plague, and enhances community and healthcare personnel awareness, preparedness and ability to detect and respond to possible epidemics."
About 100 participants from concerned Government departments and organisations took part in the exercise, with 15 experts from Mainland and Macau health authorities acting as observers.