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answer your question. I say this with emphasis, Mr. CHAN. If you say that you complained before, please tell me when and the contents. If I find your information is correct and the information from the Department is wrong, I will certainly correct the Department and demand for an explanation.
(3) Mr. STANLEY NG WING-FAI asked as follows (in Cantonese):-The problem of water-dripping of air-conditioners on streets in urban areas causes nuisance to pedestrians, and serious infectious diseases such as Legionnaire's Disease which is a serious infection breeding within humid air-conditioner pipes and water cooling towers. Therefore, I have the following questions:
(a) At present, how many cooling towers located within the areas under the jurisdiction of this Council have been registered with the Department of Health? How many of these cooling towers belong to the food premises licensed by this Council? Is there information which shows that there are cases of Legionnaire's Disease caused by air-conditioners in the licensed or unlicensed premises located within the areas under the jurisdiction of this Council?
(b) At present, regarding prevention and control of diseases caused by water-dripping of air-conditioners, how is the work divided between the Urban Services Department and the Department of Health?
(c) At present, are the Ordinances controlling water-dripping of air-conditioners and water cooling towers sufficient to control Legionnaire's Disease or similar serious infectious diseases?
(d) When the Urban Services Department staff inspect food premises, have they carried out routine or special inspections on the water cooling towers etc. in those premises?
Mr. Joseph Chan Yuek-sut, Chairman of the Public Health SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This four-part question concerns water dripping of air-conditioning systems which may spread Legionnaire's Disease.
The first part of the question enquires about the number of cooling towers of air-conditioning systems which have been registered with the Department of Health. According to the information provided by the Department of Health, cooling towers of air-conditioning systems are not required to be registered with them. Hence, they do not have such information. In the past five years, there were seven reported cases of Legionnaire's Disease, but their sources of infection could not be ascertained by the Department of Health.
As the second and third parts of the question are related, I would like to answer them together. The Department of Health advises that epidemiological evidence supports airborne transmission of Legionnaire's Disease via aerosol-producing devices, while other modes are possible but none has been proven conclusively. However, the Department of Health has so far not documented any cases of infectious diseases which are associated with water dripping from
Page 172 of 654
Page 172 of 654
Page 172 of 654
HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
173
answer your question. I say this with emphasis, Mr. CHAN. If you say that you complained before, please tell me when and the contents. If I find your information is correct and the information from the Department is wrong, I will certainly correct the Department and demand for an explanation.
(3) Mr. STANLEY NG WING-FAI asked as follows (in Cantonese):-The problem of water-dripping of air-conditioners on streets in urban areas causes nuisance to pedestrians, and serious infectious diseases such as Legionnaire's Disease which is a serious infection breeding within humid air-conditioner pipes and water cooling towers. Therefore, I have the following questions:
(a) At present, how many cooling towers located within the areas under the
jurisdiction of this Council have been registered with the Department of Health? How many of these cooling towers belong to the food premises licensed by this Council? Is there information which shows that there are cases of Legionnaire's Disease caused by air-conditioners in the licensed or unlicensed premises located within the areas under the jurisdiction of this Council?
(b) At present, regarding prevention and control of diseases caused by water- dripping of air-conditioners, how is the work divided between the Urban Services Department and the Department of Health?
(c) At present, are the Ordinances_controlling water-dripping of air- conditioners and water cooling towers sufficient to control Legionnaire's Disease or similar serious infectious diseases?
(d) When the Urban Services Department staff inspect food premises, have they carried out routine or special inspections on the water cooling towers etc. in those premises?
Mr. Joseph Chan Yuek-sut, Chairman of the Public Health SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This four-part question concerns water dripping of air-conditioning systems which may spread Legionnaire's Disease.
The first part of the question enquires about the number of cooling towers of air-conditioning systems which have been registered with the Department of Health. According to the information provided by the Department of Health, cooling towers of air-conditioning systems are not required to be registered with them. Hence, they do not have such information. In the past five years, there were seven reported cases of Legionnaire's Disease, but their sources of infection could not be ascertained by the Department of Health.
As the second and third parts of the question are related, I would like to answer them together. The Department of Health advises that epidemiological evidence supports airborne transmission of Legionnaire's Disease via aerosol- producing devices, while other modes are possible but none has been proven conclusively. However, the Department of Health has so far not documented any cases of infectious diseases which are associated with water dripping from
Page 172 of 654
Page 172 of 654
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