HEALTH
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restaurant trade. An Ambassador of Hygiene Scheme and a Health Education Activities in Schools Funding Scheme were aimed at school children. A Clean Toilet Competition, a Health Education Fair and Talks on Public Health were also organised for members of the public.
The Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre at Kowloon Park is well received by members of the public. Visitors can enrich their health knowledge through the permanent interactive exhibits, temporary exhibitions and the reference library. Various seminars and activities were also organised to arouse public interest in good hygiene practice and behaviour conducive to health.
The RSD's Health Education Unit organised various programmes to cater for the specific needs of the population in the area served by the Provisional Regional Council. An innovative Know More About Environmental Hygiene Facilities cum Lifeskill Training Camp targeted at secondary school children was organised during the summer. A Clean Restaurant Competition and a 'Household Hygiene - Any Idea' Exhibition were staged in support of the Regional Council Festival 98. Food hygiene seminars and talks on how to apply for food business licences were held all year round. These activities will culminate in a Food Hygiene Carnival in February 1999 which will be joined by a mixed spectrum of organisations.
Pest Control
The USD and RSD continued with the well-tested integrated pest control programmes to prevent vector borne diseases. Measures included environmental improvement, eradication of breeding places, health education and law enforcement. Special surveillance on mosquitoes was maintained to prevent outbreaks of Dengue fever in Hong Kong. Technical support was provided by the Pest Control Advisory Section of the Department of Health.
Food Hygiene
The year was a challenging one for the prevention and control of food-borne diseases. After the outbreak of avian flu H5N1 in late 1997, additional licensing conditions were imposed by the provisional municipal councils on poultry shops to enhance hygiene standards. The sale of live water birds with other live poultry in the same premises was banned and stricter control was imposed over the transport of dressed poultry. Cholera made an early appearance and hit Hong Kong in February through contaminated imported cockles. Further cases were notified in summer. To help prevent the spread of cholera, inspection of restaurants and food premises was stepped up and stringent enforcement taken against unlicensed food premises. E coli O157:H7 was detected in a sample of raw beef in April.
Two ciguatera fish poisoning outbreaks occurred in January and May. Case numbers and patient load were high compared with recent years, perhaps due to catches from new harvesting grounds. Red tides due to Gyrodinium aureolum caused widespread fatalities in fish farms in March and April. Inspections of all retail fish outlets by the USD and RSD revealed no fish unfit for human consumption or contaminated by red tide being displayed for sale. Also in April, clenbuterol-tainted pig offal was found to have caused a handful of human poisoning cases. Operators of market stalls and fresh provision shops were advised by the USD and RSD to withdraw pig offal from sale immediately, and restaurant operators told to remove it from their menus.