28 Sep 2011
According to the latest surveillance data from the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), there has been no significant increase in scarlet fever activity after school resumption on since early September, a spokesman for the Department of Health said today (September 28). “Local scarlet fever activity has declined by about 80% from the peak level in late June and has remained stable recently,” the spokesman said.
As of September 28 this year, a total of 1,172 cases of SF were reported, including two deaths reported in May and June respectively.
To enhance monitoring of severe SF cases in the community during the peak period, CHP has set up an enhanced surveillance mechanism with public and private hospitals for intensive care unit admissions or deaths associated with SF and Group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection since June 24, 2011. As of September 28, 2011, 14 cases have been reported to CHP under this mechanism. Among them, 8 were adults and 6 were children who were 12 years old or younger. Four of them presented with scarlet fever. No additional cases of death associated with scarlet fever cases had been recorded.
The spokesman said that after reviewing the prevailing situation, the enhanced surveillance mechanism and the daily situation update on SF on the CHP website will be discontinued on October 1, 2011. The CHP will publish updates on scarlet fever in its bi-weekly online Communicable Disease Watch and continue to closely monitor the local situation of SF.
"Although the peak period for scarlet fever has passed, looking ahead, some 50 cases are still expected to be reported every week especially among children. The public should therefore continue to maintain vigilance in preventing this infection".