SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 1986
HONG KONG DECLARED CHOLERA INFECTED AREA
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THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TODAY (SATURDAY)
DECLARED HONG KONG TO BE A CHOLERA INFECTED AREA FOLLOWING THE CONFIRMATION OF THREE MORE CHOLERA CASES AND ONE SUSPECTED CASE IN KOWLOON. SO FAR, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CHOLERA CASE THIS YEAR IS SEVEN.
THE LAST TIME HONG KONG WAS DECLARED AN INFECTED AREA WAS IN 1979.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED THAT THE DECISION TO DECLARE HONG KONG AN INFECTED AREA WAS NECESSARY IN VIEW OF THE OCCURRENCE OF SEVERAL CASES OF CHOLERA WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
OF THE THREE NEW CONFIRMED CASES, TWO PATIENTS ARE RESIDENTS IN KWUN TONG. THE SUSPECTED' CASE IS ALO LIVING IN THE SAME DISTRICT.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT ALTHOUGH AT PRESENT INTERNATIONAL HEALTH REGULATIONS DO NOT REQUIRE TRAVELLERS TO CARRY VACCINATION CERTIFICATES. SOME INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES MAY IMPOSE VACCINATION REQUIREMENT ON THEIR ARRIVALS.
INTENDED INTERNATIONAL TRAVELLERS CAN OBTAIN VACCINATION AT THE TWO PORT HEALTH OFFICES OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT AT CANTON ROAD GOVERNMENT OFFICES AND AT CENTRE POINT IN GLOUCESTER ROAD.
THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THE BEST EFFECTIVE PREVENTIVE MEASURE AGAINST CHOLERA IS STRICT ADHERENCE TO PERSONAL, FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE. VACCINATION IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE PUBLIC HEALTH PREVENTIVE MEASURE AGAINST CHOLERA. HOWEVER, FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO RECEIVE FREE VACCINATION, THEY MAY GO TO THE EIGHT DESIGNATED CLINICS AS FROM MONDAY.
THE EIGHT CLINICS ARE SHAU KE1 WAN JOCKEY CLUB CLINIC, SAI YING PUN JOCKEY CLUB CLINIC, YAU MA TEI JOCKEY CLUB CLINIC, KWUN TONG JOCKEY CLUB CLINIC, TAI PO CLINIC, SHEK WU HUI JOCKEY CLUB CLINIC, LADY TRENCH POLYCLINIC AND YUEN LONG JOCKEY CLUB CLINIC.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR ALARM SINCE CHOLERA IS ENDEMIC IN NEARBY COUNTRIES AND CASES ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR FROM TIME TO TIME ESPECIALLY DURING SUMMER MONTHS.
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THE THREE CONFIRMED NEW CASES ONE MAN AND TWO WOMEN HAVE ALL BEEN CLASSIFIED AS LOCAL CASES SINCE THE PATIENT DID NOT TRAVEL ABROAD RECENTLY. THEIR CONDITIONS ARE DESCRIBED AS +POOR+ TO +FAIR+.
/THE FIRST