WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1983
· 6 -
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT A TOTAL OF 289 CASES OF VIRAL HEPATITIS WERE REPORTED IN APRIL, COMPARED WITH 83 CASES IN JANUARY, 87 CASES IN FEBRUARY AND 248 CASES IN MARCH.
IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, A TOTAL OF 12 PEOPLE DIED OF THE DISEASE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
+WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE SUMMER SEASON, THE PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE ALL THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF VIRAL HEPATITIS AND GASTRO-INTESTINAL DISEASES WHICH TEND TO BE PREVALENT IN THE WARMER WEATHER,+ HE ADDED.
+OTHER DISEASES COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE WARM WEATHER INCLUDE CHOLERA, TYPHOID, DYSENTERY AND SICKNESS DUE TO FOOD POISONING,+ HE SAID.
RECALLING THAT EIGHT CHOLERA CASES (FIVE IMPORTED AND THREE LOCAL) WERE RECORDED IN HONG KONG LAST YEAR, THE SPOKESMAN URGED THE PUBLIC NOT TO RELAX THEIR SURVEILLANCE AGAINST THE RECURRENCE OF THE DISEASE WHICH IS ENDEMIC IN THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN REGION.
ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE NOTIFIABLE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES HAVE REMAINED AT ABOUT THE SAME LEVEL OVER THE YEARS, THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO TAKE ALL POSSIBLE PREVENTIVE MEASURES THROUGH HEALTH EDUCATION AND IMMUNISATION PROGRAMMES.
+THE MOST RELIABLE AND EFFECTIVE MEANS OF PREVENTION IS TO OBSERVE PERSONAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOOD HYGIENE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID,
+AS MOST GASTRO-INTESTINAL DISEASES ARE TRANSMITTED THROUGH CONTAMINATED FOOD AND DRINK, THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE EXTRA CAREFUL IN THEIR EATING HABITS, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY DINE AT PUBLIC PLACES, HE ADDED.
ALL TYPES OF FOOD SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY COOKED AND SHOULD NOT BE LEFT UNCOVERED IF NOT TAKEN IMMEDIATELY, THE SPOKESMAN WARNED.
WATER DIRECTLY FROM THE MAINS IS PURE AND SAFE FOR DRINKING, BUT WATER FROM TANKS MAY BE CONTAMINATED AND SHOULD BE BOILED BEFORE CONSUMPTION, HE ADDED.
WATER FROM STREAMS AND WELLS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR DRINKING, HE WARNED,
THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT PROVIDES FREE VACCINATIONS AGAINST COMMON INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT ALL GOVERNMENT GENERAL OUTPATIENT CLINICS AND INOCULATION CENTRES.
17
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.