Respiratory illness measures enhanced

February 21, 2013

The Department of Health and the Hospital Authority have implemented new measures to boost surveillance and control of the novel coronavirus.
 
The agencies met today to discuss the latest global situation on severe respiratory disease associated with novel coronavirus.
 
They decided that from February 22, routine testing for novel coronavirus will be carried out irrespective of travel history in cases of pneumonia with unknown cause, pneumonia cases that require intensive care, clusters of pneumonia, or healthcare workers with pneumonia.
 
The surveillance measures currently in place include statutory notification of severe respiratory disease associated with novel coronovirus, and enhanced laboratory testing for novel coronavirus in severe respiratory cases with pneumonia with unknown causes, after ruling out common causative agents.
 
Both sides agreed to further enhance laboratory surveillance for novel coronavirus.
 
Centre for Health Protection Controller Dr Leung Ting-hung expressed concern over the latest development of the disease in the UK.
 
"The mortality of this disease is very high and several instances of human-to-human transmission are likely to have occurred in the Middle East and the UK. However, no sustained transmission or expanding clusters of infection have been identified in any country since the earliest cases traced back to April, 2012."
 
He advised doctors to be vigilant and report any suspected case to the centre. He said, like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, the public should pay particular attention to personal and environmental hygiene and avoid direct contact with animals, birds or poultry.
 
Hospital Authority Chief Infection Control Officer Dr Dominic Tsang said public hospitals will closely monitor, promptly isolate and perform rapid diagnostic testing of patients based on defined criteria and risk factors identified.
 
"Such cases will also be notified to the Centre for Health Protection through existing channels. Healthcare workers will be updated once again on the current situation and reminded to adhere to proper infection control measures. Treatment guidelines will be provided to frontline doctors in guiding patient clinical management."