The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (August 15) continuing the epidemiological investigations into the four local cases of dengue fever (DF) announced yesterday (August 14) and will enhance surveillance against suspected cases.
The latest information revealed that apart from the 76-year-old female patient living in Wong Tai Sin who had visited Lion Rock Park, the 17-year-old male patient living in Kwai Tsing District also visited the baseball field there. Meanwhile, further laboratory investigation revealed that except for the 84-year-old female patient living in Cheung Chau, the genetic sequences of the virus from the other three cases are identical. Further investigation on the source of infection of the cases is under way.
The CHP representatives attended an ad hoc meeting of the Hospital Authority (HA)'s Central Committee on Infectious Disease and Emergency Responses this morning to review the four local cases of DF and the latest situation of DF. To enhance surveillance, the CHP will collaborate with the HA to activate the e-Dengue electronic reporting platform as soon as possible to facilitate real-time monitoring of suspected DF cases.
The CHP has issued letters to local doctors and hospitals to alert them to the latest situation of local DF and remind them to enhance surveillance. The CHP has also issued letters to schools and institutions to remind them to step up mosquito control and prevention measures. Separately, the CHP has also written to the Travel Industry Council to urge them to remind travellers to adopt proper personal protective measures during travel and take heed of proper measures after returning from endemic or epidemic areas.
The CHP has also provided information and details of geographical distribution on the local DF cases concerned on the CHP's designated webpage for DF to facilitate handy access of information for the public.
In addition, CHP officers have conducted questionnaire surveys for the four cases concerned. As of 5pm today, 112 questionnaires involving 427 persons had been collected. Among them, none reported DF symptoms. No abnormalities have been detected so far. The CHP's medical surveillance is under way.
The CHP and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department held health talks on DF in the afternoon today at Kwai Shing Community Hall, Cheung Chau Municipal Services Building and Chuk Yuen Estate Community Centre in Wong Tai Sin to deliver health advice. A total of 47 persons attended the talks. Separately, 23 persons attended the health talk conducted at the property management office of Highland Park yesterday.
Persons who have been to the vicinity of Wong Tai Sin, Kwai Shing West Estate, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Hill Side Road, Highland Park and Sai Tso Wan Recreation Ground with DF symptoms should call the CHP's hotline (2125 1122) for laboratory investigation or referral as appropriate. The hotline operated from 6pm to 9pm yesterday and will operate from 9am to 5.45pm from today. As of 5pm today, eight enquiries had been received.
The public should call 1823 in cases of mosquito problems and may visit the DF pages of the CHP and its Travel Health Service, the latest Travel Health News, tips for using insect repellents, the CHP Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, and the FEHD's Guidebook on Control and Prevention of Mosquito Breeding for more information.
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