21 February 2013
Representatives from the Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority (HA) met today (February 21) to discuss the updated global situation of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus and will join hands in enhancing the surveillance and control measures for the disease. This is the fourth special meeting held between the DH and HA on the issue.
The surveillance measures currently in place include statutorily notification of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronovirus and enhanced laboratory testing for novel coronavirus in severe respiratory cases with pneumonia with unknown causes, after ruling out common causative agents.
During the meeting, representatives from the DH and HA agreed to further enhance the laboratory surveillance for novel coronavirus. For cases of pneumonia with unknown cause, pneumonia cases who require intensive care, clusters of pneumonia or healthcare workers with pneumonia, routine testing for novel coronavirus will be carried out irrespective of their travel history. These enhanced measures will be carried out starting from tomorrow.
Speaking at a media session after the meeting, the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), Dr Leung Ting-hung expressed concern on the latest development of the disease in the United Kingdom (UK).
“The mortality of this disease is very high and several instances of human to human transmission are likely to have occurred in the Middle East and the UK. However, no sustained transmission or expanding clusters of infection have been identified in any country since the earliest cases traced back to April 2012,” said Dr Leung.
“Doctors are advised to be vigilant and report any suspected cases to the CHP. Healthcare workers should exercise appropriate infection control measures at all times. With the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) experience, the public should pay particular attention to personal and environmental hygiene and avoid direct contact with animals, birds or poultry,” he said, adding that the virus may remain viable in the environment for some time and can be inactivated by 1:99 household bleach.
Dr Leung also advised travellers returning from novel coronavirus-affected countries with respiratory symptoms to wear facial masks and seek medical attention and reveal their travel histories to doctors. The CHP will closely monitor the situation and update the surveillance criteria and testing strategies accordingly.
Also speaking at the media session, the Chief Infection Control Officer of the Hospital Authority, Dr Dominic Tsang, added that public hospitals will continue to closely monitor, promptly isolate and perform rapid diagnostic testing of patients based on defined criteria and risk factors identified.
“Such cases will also be notified to the CHP through existing channel. Healthcare workers will be updated once again on the current situation and reminded to adhere to proper infection control measures. Treatment guidelines will be provided to frontline doctors in guiding patient clinical management,” Dr Tsang said.