XN000022-1975-05-21 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 1975

5

TREND OF INFECTIVE HEPATITIS

CLOSELY WATCHED BY MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT

********

THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH ON THE TREND OF INFECTIVE HEPATITIS, THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, THE HON. GERALD CHÒA TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. MRS. JOYCE SYMONS, HE POINTED OUT THAT HEALTH STAFF OF HIS DEPARTMENT WERE CARRYING OUT INVESTIGATIONS ON ALL REPORTED CASES IN AN EFFORT TO UNCOVER THE ORIGIN OF THE INFECTION. INTERRUPT THE ROUTE OF TRANSMISSION AND GIVE HEALTH EDUCATION TALKS.

DR. CHOA SAID THAT THERE WAS NO ACTIVE IMMUNIZATION AGAINST INFECTIVE HEPATITIS WHICH WAS TRANSMITTED BY CONTAMINATED FOOD AND WATER AND PERSON-TO-PERSON CONTACT AND THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT THE DISEASE WAS BY INTERRUPTING THE ROUTE OF TRANSMISSION.

ON PREVENTIVE MEASURES, HE SAID THEY CONSISTED OF EDUCATING THE PUBLIC IN FOOD, PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE.

+THE DEPARTMENT HAS ISSUED REPEATED APPEALS AND ADVICE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH PRESS RELEASES AND RADIO INTERVIEWS. IN ADDITION, A WEEKLY BULLETIN IS PUBLISHED TO KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED OF THE SITUATION.+

BESIDES, A MEDICAL OFFICER HAD ALSO BEEN SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED TO UNDERTAKE A DETAILED REVIEW OF ALL ASPECTS OF THE DISEASE.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO MAINTAINING CLOSE LIAISON WITH URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT WHICH LOOKS AFTER ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOOD HYGIENE, INCLUDING INSPECTION OF RESTAURANTS AND FOOD-STALLS.

DR. CHOA NOTED THAT THERE HAD BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE INCIDENCE OF HEPATITIS CASES SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR. HE ADDED THAT 80 PER CENT OF THE CASES WERE FOUND TO BE INFECTIVE HEPATITIS WHILE THE REMAINDER SERUM HEPATITIS.

SERUM HEPATITIS IS TRANSMITTED BY INJECTION, INOCULATION, TRANSFUSION OF BLOOD OR BLOOD PRODUCTS, ACUPUNCTURE AND TATTOO.

T

HE POINTED OUT THAT WARNING HAD BEEN ISSUED REGARDING STERILISATION OF SYRINGES AND NEEDLES WHILE FUNDS HAD NOW BEEN SET ASIDE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AUSTRALIA ANTIGEN TEST FOR ALL BLOOD SAMPLES COLLECTED BY THE BRITISH RED CROSS AS SOON AS ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT WAS OBTAINED AND THE ANIMAL HOUSE OF THE QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL ENLARGED IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS' TIME.

DR. CHOA SAID THAT MEANWHILE TESTS WOULD CONTINUE TO DE CARRIED OUT ON SELECTED SAMPLES INCLUDING BLOODS FROM DONORS WHO GAVE A HISTORY OF JAUNDICE.

/6