MONDAY, MAY 1, 1978
}
PREVENTIVE MEASURES AGAINST DISEASES IN SUMMER
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THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TODAY ADVISED THAT WITH THE APPROACH OF THE SUMMER SEASON THE PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AGAINST CHOLERA AND OTHER GASTRO-INTESTINAL DISEASES COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE WARM WEATHER.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THE MOST EFFECTIVE PREVENTION METHOD IS THE STRICT OBSERVANCE OF PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE CLEAN FOOD, CLEAN WATER, WASHING HANDS BEFORE MEALS AND AFTER VISITS TO TOILETS.
HE WARNED THAT ALTHOUGH THERE HAD BEEN NO LOCAL CASES OF CHOLERA SINCE 1969 THE PUBLIC MUST CONTINUE TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AGAINST THE OUTBREAK OF CHOLERA WHICH IS ALREADY IN EVIDENCE IN SOME NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES.
+PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANLINESS IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL IF HONG KONG IS TO REMAIN FREE FROM CHOLERA THIS YEAR, HE STRESSED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID BOTH THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAVE INTENSIFIED VARIOUS PREVENTIVE MEASURES, SUCH AS INSPECTING AIRCRAFT AND VESSELS COMING FROM INFECTED AREAS AND REGULAR CHECKS ON THE HYGIENIC STANDARD OF LOCAL FOOD STALLS AND RESTAURANTS.
IN ADDITION, THE TESTING OF NIGHT SOIL AND STOOL CULTURES OF SAMPLES OF ALL CASES OF DIARRHOEA HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT SO THAT ANY SUSPECTED CASES OF CHOLERA WHICH COME TO LIGHT ARE IMMEDIATELY ISOLATED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THERE IS SUFFICIENT STOCK OF ANTI-CHOLERA VACCINE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT IT, AND ISOLATION FACILITIES ARE ADEQUATE TO DEAL WITH EMERGENCY SITUATION,
HE POINTED OUT, HOWEVER, THAT ANTI-CHOLERA VACCINE BY ITSELF WOULD ONLY GIVE PARTIAL PROTECTION TO THE INDIVIDUAL.
+EXPERIENCE AND RESEARCH HAVE SHOWN THAT THE MOST RELIABLE AND EFFECTIVE MEASURES ARE TO ENSURE CLEANLINESS IN THE PREPARATION AND CONSUMPTION OF FOOD AND WATER, AND GOOD PERSONAL HYGIENE, HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN URGED THE PUBLIC TO BE EXTRA CAUTIOUS IN THE IR CHOICE OF FOOD AND DRINK AS CHOLERA IS SPREAD THROUGH CONTAMINATED 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