FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 1979
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HONG KONG DECLARED CHOLERA INFECTED AREA
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HONG KONG IS TODAY DECLARED A CHOLERA INFECTED AREA FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY OF A CASE INVOLVING A SIX-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO IS A RESIDENT AT TUEN MUN IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
THE BOY, YEUNG KAM-SZE, WAS ADMITTED TO THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL ON MONDAY, AUGUST 20, WITH SYMPTOMS OF SEVERE DIARRHOEA AND VOMITTING.
LABORATORY TESTS OF HIS STOOLS CONFIRMED THE PRESENCE OF CHOLERA VIBRO OF THE EL TOR STRAIN.
HE IS NOW RECOVERING AT THE ISOLATION WARD AND HIS CONDITION IS SATISFACTORY.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAID THERE WAS NO CAUSE FOR ALARM BECAUSE THE DANGER OF A LOCAL SPREAD WOULD BE MINIMAL IF PREVENTIVE MEASURES ARE INSTITUTED ONCE A CASE IS DETECTED.
HE SAID HEALTH OFFICERS HAVE BEEN SENT TO THE BOY'S RESIDENCE TO CARRY OUT ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS.
HOWEVER, HE STRESSED THAT PREVENTION OF A LOCAL SPREAD WOULD LARGELY DEPEND ON MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO STRICTLY OBSERVE THE RULES OF PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE - CLEAN FOOD, CLEAN WATER, WASHING OF HANDS BEFORE MEALS AND AFTER VISITS TO TOILETS AND PROPER DISPOSAL OF REFUSE.
+EXPERIENCE AND RESEARCH HAVE SHOWN THAT THE MOST RELIABLE AND EFFECTIVE MEASURES OF PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF GASTRO-INTERSTINAL DISEASES, INCLUDING CHOLERA, ARE TO ENSURE CLEANLINESS IN THE PREPARATION AND CONSUMPTION OF FOOD AND WATER, AND GOOD PERSONAL HYGIENE, HE ADDED.
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.
HE ADVISED THAT ALL TYPES OF FOOD MUST BE THOROUGHLY COOKED AND IF NOT TAKEN IMMEDIATELY SHOULD BE WELL COVERED AND PRESERVED.
+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, HE ADDED.
ON THE QUESTION OF VACCINATION, THE SPOKESMAN SAID ANTI-CHOLERA VACCINE BY ITSELF IS NOT EFFICACIOUS IN PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF CHOLERA AND COULD ONLY GIVE PARTIAL PROTECTION TO THE INDIVIDUAL FOR ONLY A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD.
HOWEVER THERE IS SUFFICIENT STOCK OF ANTI-CHOLERA VACCINE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT IT AND ISOLATION FACILITIES ARE ADEQUATE TO DEAL WITH ANY EMERGENCY SITUATION, HE SAID.
THE LAST CASE OF CHOLERA REPORTED IN HONG KONG WAS IN AUGUST LAST YEAR WHEN AN 89-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WAS FOUND TO HAVE HARBOURED CHOLERA ORGANISMS, SHE WAS ISOLATED AT THE PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL AND LATER RECOVERED AND DISCHARGED.
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