ENG-2011 — Page 223

Health 183

The centre organises drills every year to test Hong Kong's preparedness. In May 2011, in conjunction with the Shenzhen Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, the centre conducted a cross-boundary public health exercise named 'Jasper' at Shenzhen Bay Port, ahead of the 26th Shenzhen Summer Universiade (the Universiade) in August 2011, to enhance communication and co-ordination between the relevant departments of the Hong Kong and Shenzhen governments, and to test the response of the two sides in the event of an infectious disease outbreak during the Universiade.

There are 47 statutory notifiable infectious diseases in Hong Kong. During the year, about 22 000 cases were reported, of which about 13 600 and 4 926 were diagnosed as chickenpox and tuberculosis respectively.

According to the surveillance data of the CHP, from April to June 2011, the number of reports on Scarlet Fever (SF) cases was rising. In addition, an increase of SF cases was also observed in the Mainland and Macao, where the condition is a notifiable disease as in Hong Kong. The rise of SF cases in Hong Kong may be a regional phenomenon. The centre took a multi-pronged approach to prevent and control SF, including setting up a surveillance mechanism with public and private hospitals; reminding relevant personnel such as doctors, staff of institutions and schools to take prevention and infection control measures; and strengthening publicity, health education and risk communication, and so on.

SF activity in Hong Kong has been steadily declining since its peak in June 2011 and has remained stable. During the year, the CHP recorded a total of 1 527 SF cases, including two deaths reported in May and June respectively. The overall epidemiological and clinical characteristics of SF cases in this outbreak resemble those in the past. The case fatality rate so far is not significantly higher than historical or international figures. The centre therefore ended the enhanced surveillance exercise mentioned above in October 2011, but will continue to monitor the local SF situation closely.

Vaccination Programmes

Children in Hong Kong are protected against communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis B, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps and rubella under a 'Childhood Immunisation Programme'. On the advice of the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases (SCVPD) under the CHP, the Government has included pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the Childhood Immunisation Programme since September 1, 2009. At the same time, the Government launched a one-off catch-up programme to provide pneumococcal vaccinations to children born between September 1, 2007 and June 30, 2009. The catch-up programme was completed at the end of March 2011. Currently, a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is being used under the Childhood Immunisation Programme to provide greater protection to the public.

Since 1998, the Government has been providing target groups with free seasonal influenza vaccinations each year at public hospitals and clinics. Based on the recommendation of the SCVPD on seasonal influenza vaccination target groups