1964 — Page 96

Urban Council Proceedings 市政局議事錄 All AI Reviewed

Page 96 of 312

168

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

This Committee was appointed in February 1964 and while it also deals with a housing matter it is quite distinct from the Working Party on Housing on which Members of this Council sat and its appointment did not arise from the Working Party. This Committee dealt with one facet of the housing problem and as the subject was less complex than that of the Working Party on Housing it was possible for the Committee to complete its report, and for Government to publish it in a relatively short period of time. With regard to the Working Party on Housing, I am unable

to add to what I said at the beginning of this meeting.

MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, one more month has now gone by since the Commissioner for Resettlement gave his answer at the last meeting. Can you at least inform this meeting of the approximate date when the Working Party's Report and His Excellency the Governor in Council's decision thereon will be released?

CHAIRMAN: Sir, I very much regret that I cannot.

MR. BERNACCHI:-A second supplementary. I would ask you to clarify why Government took action on and released a Committee Report on Housing when the Committee concerned were appointed only in February 1964, but no decision has yet been taken on the Report submitted in October 1963 of the main Committee on Housing?

CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I have really nothing to add to the answer which I have already given to you. I am aware that a considerable amount of activity is going on now in Government over the Report of the Working Party on Housing.

MR. BERNACCHI:-In fact, would the Chairman say whether the Working Party last year were urged by the Governor himself to get on with their Report and get it out at the earliest possible time?

CHAIRMAN:-The answer, Sir, is in the affirmative.

MR. FUNG HON-CHU asked the following question:-

Arising from the recent cholera outbreak, will the Chairman

inform the Council as to the following:-

How many restaurants or eating places have been ordered to temporarily close their business following discovery of cholera organisms on their premises?

To what extent was this Council instrumental in the tracing of these cholera organisms to these restaurants and in the subsequent closure order?

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

169

Will the Chairman make it a practice in future to make known the facts of such closures to the Council as fully as possible?

THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:

Two restaurants have been closed temporarily so far this year

as a result of their association with cholera cases. In one instance on Hong Kong Island, the closure was voluntarily undertaken by the proprietor for 24 hours following the discovery that a member of his staff was a cholera carrier. This discovery came about as a result of the investigations made when a patient suffering from cholera reported that he had taken meals at this particular restaurant.

During the period of closure the premises were thoroughly cleansed and disinfected and all the food handling staff were given an intensive course of prophylactic antibiotic treatment.

In the second instance, a restaurant in Kowloon was closed by an order issued on 16th May by the Director of Medical and Health Services acting under section 19(1) of the Prevention of the Spread of Infectious Diseases Regulations. This closure order was in operation until 1st June, 1964. 16 cases of cholera in Kowloon and 1 on Hong Kong Island were notified between 13th and 22nd May and all these cases were found to be related to a common source-this restaurant in Kowloon.

A total of 210 persons were admitted to Chatham Road Quarantine Centre as contacts of the cases and of these, 46 were employees of the restaurant. 18 carriers were found among this group.

This outbreak arose as a result of a water-borne spread of the disease. A well in the yard of the premises was contaminated with cholera organisms excreted by a carrier using a water closet with defective drains. This state of affairs infected the well water which was connected via a roof tank to various points inside the restaurant.

The work of tracing the mode of transmission of the disease in this particular instance was mainly initiated, directed, and carried out by staff of the Medical and Health Department, though members of the Urban Services Department and later, the Waterworks Office of the Public Works Department also played a most useful part in this investigation.

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Page 96 of 312 168 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL This Committee was appointed in February 1964 and while it also deals with a housing matter it is quite distinct from the Working Party on Housing on which Members of this Council sat and its appointment did not arise from the Working Party. This Committee dealt with one facet of the housing problem and as the subject was less complex than that of the Working Party on Housing it was possible for the Committee to complete its report, and for Government to publish it in a relatively short period of time. With regard to the Working Party on Housing, I am unable to add to what I said at the beginning of this meeting. MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, one more month has now gone by since the Commissioner for Resettlement gave his answer at the last meeting. Can you at least inform this meeting of the approximate date when the Working Party's Report and His Excellency the Governor in Council's decision thereon will be released? CHAIRMAN: Sir, I very much regret that I cannot. MR. BERNACCHI:-A second supplementary. I would ask you to clarify why Government took action on and released a Committee Report on Housing when the Committee concerned were appointed only in February 1964, but no decision has yet been taken on the Report submitted in October 1963 of the main Committee on Housing? CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I have really nothing to add to the answer which I have already given to you. I am aware that a considerable amount of activity is going on now in Government over the Report of the Working Party on Housing. MR. BERNACCHI:-In fact, would the Chairman say whether the Working Party last year were urged by the Governor himself to get on with their Report and get it out at the earliest possible time? CHAIRMAN:-The answer, Sir, is in the affirmative. MR. FUNG HON-CHU asked the following question:- Arising from the recent cholera outbreak, will the Chairman inform the Council as to the following:- How many restaurants or eating places have been ordered to temporarily close their business following discovery of cholera organisms on their premises? To what extent was this Council instrumental in the tracing of these cholera organisms to these restaurants and in the subsequent closure order? HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 169 Will the Chairman make it a practice in future to make known the facts of such closures to the Council as fully as possible? THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows: Two restaurants have been closed temporarily so far this year as a result of their association with cholera cases. In one instance on Hong Kong Island, the closure was voluntarily undertaken by the proprietor for 24 hours following the discovery that a member of his staff was a cholera carrier. This discovery came about as a result of the investigations made when a patient suffering from cholera reported that he had taken meals at this particular restaurant. During the period of closure the premises were thoroughly cleansed and disinfected and all the food handling staff were given an intensive course of prophylactic antibiotic treatment. In the second instance, a restaurant in Kowloon was closed by an order issued on 16th May by the Director of Medical and Health Services acting under section 19(1) of the Prevention of the Spread of Infectious Diseases Regulations. This closure order was in operation until 1st June, 1964. 16 cases of cholera in Kowloon and 1 on Hong Kong Island were notified between 13th and 22nd May and all these cases were found to be related to a common source-this restaurant in Kowloon. A total of 210 persons were admitted to Chatham Road Quarantine Centre as contacts of the cases and of these, 46 were employees of the restaurant. 18 carriers were found among this group. This outbreak arose as a result of a water-borne spread of the disease. A well in the yard of the premises was contaminated with cholera organisms excreted by a carrier using a water closet with defective drains. This state of affairs infected the well water which was connected via a roof tank to various points inside the restaurant. The work of tracing the mode of transmission of the disease in this particular instance was mainly initiated, directed, and carried out by staff of the Medical and Health Department, though members of the Urban Services Department and later, the Waterworks Office of the Public Works Department also played a most useful part in this investigation. Page 96 of 312 170

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Page 96 of 312 168 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL This Committee was appointed in February 1964 and while it also deals with a housing matter it is quite distinct from the Working Party on Housing on which Members of this Council sat and its appointment did not arise from the Working Party. This Committee dealt with one facet of the housing problem and as the subject was less complex than that of the Working Party on Housing it was possible for the Committee to complete its report, and for Govern- ment to publish it in a relatively short period of time. With regard to the Working Party on Housing, I am unable to add to what I said at the beginning of this meeting. MR. BERNACCHI:-Mr. Chairman, one more month has now gone by since the Commissioner for Resettlement gave his answer at the last meeting. Can you at least inform this meeting of the approximate date when the Working Party's Report and His Excellency the Governor in Council's decision thereon will be released? CHAIRMAN: Sir, I very much regret that I cannot. MR. BERNACCHI:-A second supplementary. I would ask you to clarify why Government took action on and released a Committee Report on Housing when the Committee concerned were appointed only in February 1964, but no decision has yet been taken on the Report sub- mitted in October 1963 of the main Committee on Housing? CHAIRMAN:-Sir, I have really nothing to add to the answer which I have already given to you. I am aware that a considerable amount of activity is going on now in Government over the Report of the Work- ing Party on Housing. MR. BERNACCHI:-In fact, would the Chairman say whether the Working Party last year were urged by the Governor himself to get on with their Report and get it out at the earliest possible time? CHAIRMAN:-The answer, Sir, is in the affirmative. མ་ MR. FUNG HON-CHU asked the following question:- Arising from the recent cholera outbreak, will the Chairman inform the Council as to the following:- How many restaurants or eating places have been ordered to temporarily close their business following discovery of cholera organisms on their premises? To what extent was this Council instrumental in the tracing of these cholera organisms to these restaurants and in the subsequent closure order? HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 169 Will the Chairman make it a practice in future to make known the facts of such closures to the Council as fully as pos- sible? THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows: Two restaurants have been closed temporarily so far this year as a result of their association with cholera cases. In one instance on Hong Kong Island, the closure was volun- tarily undertaken by the proprietor for 24 hours following the discovery that a member of his staff was a cholera carrier. This discovery came about as a result of the investigations made when a patient suffering from cholera reported that he had taken meals at this particular restau- rant. During the period of closure the premises were thoroughly cleansed and disinfected and all the food handling staff were given an intensive course of prophylactic antibiotic treatment. In the second instance, a restaurant in Kowloon was closed by an order issued on 16th May by the Director of Medical and Health Services acting under section 19(1) of the Prevention of the Spread of Infectious Diseases Regula- tions. This closure order was in operation until 1st June, 1964. 16 cases of cholera in Kowloon and 1 on Hong Kong Island were notified between 13th and 22nd May and all these cases were found to be related to a common source-this restaurant in Kowloon. A total of 210 persons were admitted to Chatham Road Quarantine Centre as contacts of the cases and of these, 46 were employees of the restaurant. 18 carriers were found among this group. This outbreak arose as a result of a water-borne spread of the disease. A well in the yard of the premises was contamin- ated with cholera organisms excreted by a carrier using a water closet with defective drains. This state of affairs infected the well water which was connected via a roof tank to various points inside the restaurant. The work of tracing the mode of transmission of the disease in this particular instance was mainly initiated, directed, and carried out by staff of the Medical and Health Department, though members of the Urban Services De- partment and later, the Waterworks Office of the Public Works Department also played a most useful part in this investigation.

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Page 96 of 312

168

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

This Committee was appointed in February 1964 and while it also deals with a housing matter it is quite distinct from the Working Party on Housing on which Members of this Council sat and its appointment did not arise from the Working Party. This Committee dealt with one facet of the housing problem and as the subject was less complex than that of the Working Party on Housing it was possible for the Committee to complete its report, and for Govern- ment to publish it in a relatively short period of time. With regard to the Working Party on Housing, I am unable

to add to what I said at the beginning of this meeting.

CHAIRMAN: Sir, I very much regret that I cannot.

MR. BERNACCHI:-A second supplementary. I would ask you to clarify why Government took action on and released a Committee Report on Housing when the Committee concerned were appointed only in February 1964, but no decision has yet been taken on the Report sub- mitted in October 1963 of the main Committee on Housing?

MR. BERNACCHI:-In fact, would the Chairman say whether the Working Party last year were urged by the Governor himself to get on with their Report and get it out at the earliest possible time?

CHAIRMAN:-The answer, Sir, is in the affirmative.

མ་

MR. FUNG HON-CHU asked the following question:-

Arising from the recent cholera outbreak, will the Chairman

inform the Council as to the following:-

How many restaurants or eating places have been ordered to temporarily close their business following discovery of cholera organisms on their premises?

To what extent was this Council instrumental in the tracing of these cholera organisms to these restaurants and in the subsequent closure order?

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

169

Will the Chairman make it a practice in future to make known the facts of such closures to the Council as fully as pos- sible?

THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES replied as follows:

Two restaurants have been closed temporarily so far this year

as a result of their association with cholera cases. In one instance on Hong Kong Island, the closure was volun- tarily undertaken by the proprietor for 24 hours following the discovery that a member of his staff was a cholera carrier. This discovery came about as a result of the investigations made when a patient suffering from cholera reported that he had taken meals at this particular restau-

rant.

During the period of closure the premises were thoroughly cleansed and disinfected and all the food handling staff were given an intensive course of prophylactic antibiotic treatment.

In the second instance, a restaurant in Kowloon was closed by an order issued on 16th May by the Director of Medical and Health Services acting under section 19(1) of the Prevention of the Spread of Infectious Diseases Regula- tions. This closure order was in operation until 1st June, 1964. 16 cases of cholera in Kowloon and 1 on Hong Kong Island were notified between 13th and 22nd May and all these cases were found to be related to a common source-this restaurant in Kowloon.

A total of 210 persons were admitted to Chatham Road Quarantine Centre as contacts of the cases and of these, 46 were employees of the restaurant. 18 carriers were found among this group.

This outbreak arose as a result of a water-borne spread of the disease. A well in the yard of the premises was contamin- ated with cholera organisms excreted by a carrier using a water closet with defective drains. This state of affairs infected the well water which was connected via a roof tank to various points inside the restaurant.

The work of tracing the mode of transmission of the disease in this particular instance was mainly initiated, directed, and carried out by staff of the Medical and Health Department, though members of the Urban Services De- partment and later, the Waterworks Office of the Public Works Department also played a most useful part in this investigation.

1964 — Page 96

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