SUNDAY, JULY 1, 1979
1
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES STEPPED UP TO ENSURE QUARANTINABLE DISEASES ARE NOT
INTRODUCED INTO HK
***
WITH THE CONTINUING INFLUX OF REFUGEES, THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS STEPPED UP ALL PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT NO QUARANTINABLE DISEASES ARE INTRODUCED INTO HONG KONG AND OTHER COMMUNICABLE DISEASES DO NOT SPREAD,
+THE FACT THAT NO MAJOR OUTBREAKS OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES HAVE BEEN REPORTED FROM THE REFUGEE BOATS OR CAMPS SPEAK VOLUMES OF THE TREMENDOUS EFFORTS BY OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT AT ALL LEVELS,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).
HE SAID THAT HEALTH OFFICERS ARE MAINTAINING A ROUND-THE- CLOCK VIGILANCE IN THE WAKE OF FLEETS OF REFUGEE BOATS STREAMING INTO HONG KONG AT ALL TIMES AND ALSO KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH ON THE GENERAL HEALTH OF THE REFUGEES ALREADY IN HONG KONG.
THE PORT HEALTH OFFICE, FOR INSTANCE, OPERATES AT BREAK-NECK PACE 24 HOURS A DAY, CARRYING OUT NORMAL CHECK-UPS OF NEW ARRIVALS AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES SUCH AS DISINFECTION AND DIS INSECTISATION OF THE VESSELS AND THE REFUGEES' BAGGAGES.
THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THE PORT HEALTH OFFICE IS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE IN THE PREVENTION OF QUARANTINABLE DISEASES - SMALLPOX, CHOLERA, YELLOW FEVER AND PLAGUE.
ALL REFUGEE BOATS ENTERING HONG KONG ARE TOWED TO THE QUARANTINE ANCHORAGE AT DISCOVERY BAY WHERE THEY WILL BE ISOLATED AND KEPT FOR OBSERVATION. PORT HEALTH OFFICERS WILL THEN BOARD THE VESSELS AND START THE HEALTH SCREENING PROCESS AND CARRY OUT ALL NECESSARY PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
BECAUSE HO CHI MING CITY IS A PLAGUE INFECTED AREA, SPECIAL ANTI-PLAGUE MEASURES HAVE BEEN IMPOSED TO ENSURE THAT RODENTS AND FLEAS ON BOARD VESSELS ARE KILLED, THUS BREAKING THE RAT-FLEA-HUMAN TRANSMISSION CYCLE.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID WHILE SPORADIC CASES OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASES HAVE BEEN DETECTED AMONG THE REFUGEES THE GENERAL STATE OF HEALTH IN THE CAMPS AND ON THE BOATS HAS BEEN SATISFACTORY.
THE COMMON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES THAT HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED AMONG THE REFUGEES FALL INTO THREE MAIN CATEGORIES - GASTRO- INTESTINAL DISEASES, COMMON CHILDHOOD COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AND OTHER DISEASES SUCH AS TUBERCULOSIS.
THE INTESTINAL GROUP OF DISEASES CONSISTS OF DYSENTERY, TYPHOID FEVER, DIARRHOEAS, AND FOOD POISONING, DIARRHOEAS HAVE BEEN THE MOST COMMON DISEASES EN AMONG THE REFUGEES SO FAR. BOTH THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH AND URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN PROVIDING FACILITIES IN THE CAMPS TO ENSURE A SATISFACTORY STANDARD OF ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE AND SANITATION.
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