XN000022-1985-06-11 — Page 25

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TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 1985

DETAILS ON LEGIONNAIRE'S DISEASE BEING SOUGHT

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THE URBAN COUNCIL IS SEEKING MORE DETAILS ON THE RECENT OUTBREAK OF LEGIONNAIRE'S DISEASE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, SAID DR DENNY HUANG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY MRS MARGARET LI, DR HUANG SAID LEGIONNAIRE'S DISEASE IS AN ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTION CAUSED BY A NEWLY-RECOGNISED DISTINCTIVE ORGANISM THAT WAS FIRST ISOLATED FROM CASES OF PNEUMONIA AMONG VETERANS ATTENDING AN AMERICAN LEGION CONVENTION IN PHILADELPHIA IN 1976.

KNOWLEDGE OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF THIS ORGANISM IN NATURE IS INCOMPLETE BUT SEVERAL OUTBREAKS OF THIS DISEASE HAVE BEEN LINKED TO CONTAMINATED CONDENSATES FROM AIR CONDITIONING COOLING TOWERS.

+THE COUNCIL WILL CERTAINLY ATTEMPT TO KEEP ABREAST WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF THIS DISEASE AND ITS PREVENTION PARTICULARLY IN RESPECT OF ITS ASSOCIATION WITH VENTILATING SYSTEMS, HE SAID.

+ALTHOUGH I HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS SO FAR NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS DISEASE IN HONG KONG, SUITABLE ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE MADE IF NECESSARY IN PREVENTING IT FROM OCCURRING AND SPREADING TO THE EXTENT OF MAKING USE OF APPROPRIATE LEGISLATIVE CONTROL OF VENTILATING SYSTEMS ESPECIALLY IN SCHEDULED PREMISES.+

USD REVIEWS HAWKER CONTROL MEASURES

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THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS RECONVENED A WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW HAWKER CONTROL MEASURES WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING THE EXISTING TACTICS, STRATEGY, HOURS OF WORK AND OTHER RELATED OPERATIONAL MATTERS.

THE ISSUE HAS ALSO BEEN DISCUSSED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL'S WORKING PARTY TO REVIEW HAWKER POLICIES AND RELATED MATTERS AS ONE OF THE MANY SUBJECTS EXAMINED IN THE COURSE OF ITS DELIBERATIONS,

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