Airport Health Checks Tightened Amid Mystery Disease Outbreak

Source: OT-Team(G),The Star

  Hong Kong authorities have stepped up health screening measures for all flights arriving from African transit hubs as they brace for risks of an unidentified disease that killed at least 79 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).. 

  The Centre for Health Protection said on Thursday it had sought information about the outbreak from the World Health Organization, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and Congolese health authorities.

  According to DRC health authorities, the unknown disease has resulted in 79 deaths and more than 300 infections since late October. Patients, most of whom were over the age of 15, experienced symptoms including fever, headache, runny nose, cough, breathing difficulties and anaemia.
  The centre said the local government had received no reports of people or travellers arriving in Hong Kong from the country with unknown diseases.
  There are currently no direct flights between the DRC and Hong Kong. The CHP has learned from the trade that travellers coming to Hong Kong from the DRC may generally choose transit hubs in Africa to Hong Kong, including Johannesburg in South Africa and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.
  In light of the disease of temporarily unknown cause in the DRC, the CHP has, as a precautionary measure, immediately stepped up health screenings at the airport for passengers on all flights arriving in Hong Kong from the above-mentioned transit hubs.
  Port Health staff have been arranged to carry out temperature checks for travellers at the relevant flight gates, conduct medical assessments for symptomatic travellers and refer suspected cases of infections with public health significance to hospitals for medical examination.

  "The DH will continue to closely monitor the situation in the DRC and WHO's related information, and take appropriate preventive and control measures based on risk assessment to protect public health," the spokesman said.





















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