14 November 2012
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (November 14) reminded members of the public and management of schools to step up personal and environmental hygiene in the wake of a recent increase in chickenpox and scarlet fever activities in Hong Kong.
A CHP spokesman said that the Centre has received 743 cases of chickenpox notifications in October, as compared with 390 in September. The weekly number of notification of chickenpox has been gradually increasing from 147 in the week ending October 6, to 239 in the week ending November 10. Similarly, the weekly number of scarlet fever cases recorded has also increased from 10 in the week ending October 6 to 33 in the week ending November 10.
Chickenpox is a common childhood infection. Chickenpox is transmitted by direct person-to-person contact, through airborne droplets or airborne spread of the discharge from the respiratory tract, and indirectly from articles freshly soiled by discharges from the infected persons’ lesions. Although chickenpox is usually a mild and self-limiting disease, those with low body resistance are more likely to suffer from complications such as skin infection, scarlet fever, pneumonia and encephalitis. Newborn babies who develop chickenpox can result in more severe illness and even death.
Scarlet fever is a bacterial infection caused by Group A Streptococcus (GAS) which mostly affects children. GAS is transmitted mainly through the respiratory route or direct contact with infected respiratory secretions. Scarlet fever classically presents with fever, sore throat, red and swollen tongue (known as strawberry tongue) and erythematous rash characterized by a ‘sandpaper’ texture. Complications may sometimes occur including middle ear infection, throat abscess, pneumonia, septicaemia, meningitis, and rarely toxic shock syndrome.
The CHP has issued letters to health care professionals and the management of schools and institutions today to alert them to the recent increase in chickenpox and scarlet fever activities and to provide health advice.
To prevent chickenpox and scarlet fever, the public should take the following precautions:
* Maintain good personal and environmental hygiene;
* Keep hands clean and wash hands properly;
* Cover nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing and dispose nasal and mouth discharge properly;
* Wash hands after sneezing, coughing or cleaning the nose;
* Maintain good ventilation;
* Avoid visiting crowded places with poor ventilation;
* Refrain from work or school and wear surgical mask and seek medical advice promptly if fever or symptoms of respiratory tract infection develop; and
* parents can approach their family doctors for further advice and information on chickenpox vaccination
Members of the public can obtain more information on the prevention of chickenpox and scarlet fever from the CHP's website ( www.chp.gov.hk ) or call the Central Health Education Unit hotline, 2833 0111.