- 6.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1977
WHILE THE INOCULATION IS USEFUL AS AN ADJUVANT MEASURE IN CONFERRING SOME DEGREE OF PERSONAL PROTECTION TO INDIVIDUALS, THE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AND ESSENTIAL MEASURES ARE THOSE IN REGARD TO PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE, WHICH, IF PROPERLY CARRIED OUT, CAN PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE WITHIN THE COUNTRY EVEN IF THE DISEASE HAS ALREADY BEEN
INTRODUCED FROM OUTSIDE.
THEREFORE, PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANLINESS IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL IF THE DISEASE IS TO BE CONTROLLED WITHIN HONG KONG AND THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY BE PROTECTED FROM CONTRACTING THE DISEASE.
HE URGED THE PUBLIC TO BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS IN THEIR CHOICE OF FOOD AND DRINK AS CHOLERA IS SPREAD THROUGH CONTAMINATION OF FOOD AND WATER.
+ IMPROPERLY COOKED FOOD CAN CAUSE INFECTION, WHILE PROPERLY COOKED FOOD CANNOT. THEREFORE, ALL TYPES OF FOOD MUST BE THOROUGHLY COOKED AND IF IT IS NOT TAKEN IMMEDIATELY IT SHOULD NOT BE LEFT IN THE OPEN AND EXPOSED TO CONTAMINATION, HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN ALSO ADVISED THE PUBLIC TO BOIL WATER BEFORE DRINKING, PARTICULARLY DURING THE WATER RESTRICTION PERIOD WHEN WATER HAS TO BE STORED IN CONTAINERS WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO CONTAMINATION.
THE SPOKESMAN REPEATED THAT ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN NO LOCAL CASE OF CHOLERA SINCE 1969 THE PUBLIC MUST NOT BE TEMPTED TO RELAX THE PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THESE PROTECTIVE MEASURES ARE EFFECTIVE NOT ONLY AGAINST CHOLERA BUT OTHER INTESTINAL DISEASES SUCH AS TYPHOID AND DYSENTERY.
+PEOPLE GET CHOLERA BY TAKING IN THE VIBRO CARRIED FROM THE WASTE OF INFECTIOUS PERSONS TO EXPOSED FOOD AND WATER, AND FLIES AID IN THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE.+