XN000022-1988-06-11 — Page 10

ON

SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 1988

HE FURTHER SAID THE ONLY EFFECTIVE AND PRACTICAL WAY IN WHICH HONG KONG CAN PROTECT ITSELF AGAINST THE IMPORTATION OF MALARIA CASES IS THROUGH AN EFFICIENT SYSTEM OF SURVEILLANCE, CONSISTING OF CASE DETECTION, TREATMENT, INVESTIGATION AND REMEDIAL ACTION. THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED SUCH A SYSTEM.

THE SPOKESMAN ALSO URGED RESIDENTS TO TAKE PREVENTIVE MEASURES WHEN VISITING RURAL AREAS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES BECAUSE MALARIA 19 TRANSMITTED BY ANOPHELINE MOSQUITOES WHICH ARE FOUND IN CERTAIN PARTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

PEOPLE GOING CAMPING OR TO PICNIC AREAS, AND ESPECIALLY THOSE PLANNING ΤΟ STAY OVERNIGHT, SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE PERSONAL PROTECTION, FOR EXAMPLE WEARING LONG TROUSERS AND LONG SLEEVED SHIRTS OR COATS AND ALSO USE INSECT REPELLENTS. IN ADDITION, THEY SHOULD ALSO USE MOSQUITO NETS OR SCREENS.

"BUT THE BEST PREVENTIVE MEASURES WOULD BE TO STOP MOSQUITOES FROM BREEDING," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

MOSQUITOES TRANSMITTING MALARIA BREED IN CLEAR WATER STREAMS AND STAGNANT WATER WITH VEGETATION; THEY ARE MOSTLY FOUND IN IRRIGATION DITCHES, HILL STREAMS, EXCAVATION SITES AND ABANDONED PADDY FIELDS.

"MALARIA IS A NOTIFIABLE DISEASE AND EVERY CASE NOTIFIED WILL BE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED BY THE STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT AS TO THE POSSIBLE SOURCE OF INFECTION, HE SAID,

BLOOD SAMPLES ARE TAKEN FROM PATIENTS WITH CLINICAL SYMPTOMS OF MALARIA, AND ALL CASES ARE TAKEN TO HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT.

AFTER TREATMENT IN HOSPITAL, FOLLOW-UP ACTION BY HEALTH OFFICIALS WILL CONTINUE FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER SIX MONTHS WITH BLOOD SCREENING AT MONTHLY INTERVALS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

HEALTH EDUCATION IS

ANOTHER ESSENTIAL PART OF ANTI-MALARIA ACTION UNDERTAKEN BY THE DEPARTMENT.

"THIS IS USUALLY IN THE FORM OF HEALTH TALKS ΤΟ VILLAGES AND SCHOOLS, DISTRIBUTION OF POSTERS AND LEAFLETS AND SOMETIMES HOUSE-TO-HOUSE VISITS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO MOUNTING LOCALISED ANTI-MALARIA PROGRAMMES IN SOME AREAS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES то REMIND RESIDENTS TO TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS.

MEANWHILE, THE URBAN SERVICES AND THE REGIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENTS ARE TAKING STEPS TO CONTROL MOSQUITO BREEDING IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE TERRITORY, INCLUDING THE APPLICATION OF INSECTICIDES TO POTENTIAL MOSQUITO BREEDING SITES.

LARVICIDES AND

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