XN000022-1986-08-07 — Page 2

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1986

HYGIENE AT CENTRE OF ANTI-CHOLERA ACTION

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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (THURSDAY) REAFFIRMED ITS POLICY ON THE CONTROL OF CHOLERA, AND RESTATED THAT INOCULATION IS NOT THE MOST EFFECTIVE PUBLIC HEALTH PREVENTIVE MEASURE.

AT THE SECOND MEETING OF THE CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE ON THE CONTROL OF THE DISEASE, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONTINUE TO STEP UP ITS EFFORTS ON FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE.

THE COMMITTEE WAS SET UP ON AUGUST 4 TO CO-ORDINATE ALL MEASURES UNDERTAKEN BY VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS TO CONTAIN THE SPREAD OF CHOLERA AFTER HONG KONG WAS DECLARED TO BE INFECTED.

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, WHICH IS CHAIRED BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR S.H. LEE, INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES BRANCH, MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, AND THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.

THE MEETING AGREED THAT EFFORTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE CONCENTRATED ON FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL SURVEILLANCE, INCLUDING THE INSPECTION OF FOOD PREMISES, CRACKING DOWN ON ILLEGAL FOOD HAWKERS, AND SAMPLING OF BEACH, SWIMMING POOL AND WELL WATER.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO PUT GREATER EMPHASIS ON EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON HOW TO PREVENT THE DISEASE THROUGH PUBLICITY IN THE MASS MEDIA, ANNOUNCEMENTS OF PUBLIC INTEREST ON TELEVISION AND RADIO, POSTER DISPLAYS, AND DISTRIBUTION OF LEAFLETS.

CHOLERA TOTAL RISES TO 20

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TWO NEW CASES OF CHOLERA WERE CONFIRMED TODAY (THURSDAY) BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THIS BRINGS TO 20 THE NUMBER OF CASES CONFIRMED SINCE HONG KONG WAS DECLARED CHOLERA INFECTED LAST WEEK.

THE NEW PATIENTS ARE MEN, AGED 82 AND 34, AND THEY HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED AS LOCAL CASES, ONE PATIENT LIVES IN SHAM SHUI PO AND THE OTHER IN KOWLOON CITY.

UP TO 4 PM TODAY, A TOTAL OF 13 192 PEOPLE HAD BEEN INOCULATED AGAINST THE DISEASE AT THE EIGHT INOCULATION CENTRES AND THREE PORT HEALTH OFFICES.

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SEEKING INOCULATION AT THE EIGHT CENTRES TOTALLED 11 493, DOWN FROM 14 005 YESTERDAY.

/THE FOLLOWING