Hong Kong has beefed up efforts to combat severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS), a government press release quoted a
senior Hong Kong official as saying Saturday.
Speaking at the Second Joint Meeting of Senior Health Officials
of the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao held in Macao Saturday, Hong
Kong's Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Yeoh Eng-kiong
pointed out that though SARS has been brought under control, the
possibility of its return can not be ruled out.
"From the experiences we have gained, we know we need to
strengthen our prevention and control work to better prepare
ourselves against SARS and other infectious diseases," he said.
He said a checklist of measures to fight SARS was issued last
month for public consultation, which reflects the three-pronged
approach adopted by the government.
Firstly, comprehensive and cross-community disease preventive
measures have been put in place in Hong Kong to guard against the
resurgence of the disease, Yeoh said.
He added that they have maintained a close and effective disease
surveillance system and prepared contingency plans to deal with the
possible resurgence of SARS at all levels to combat the disease
swiftly and responsively.
Moreover, they would also take positive steps to implement, as
quickly as possible, the 46 recommendations put forward by a SARS
committee which embody a comprehensive range of measures to enhance
the preparedness of Hong Kong against SARS.
In the prevention front, the government has taken enhanced
action in monitoring medical regulatory requirements and food
hygiene and regulatory control, he said.
(Xinhua News Agency October 26, 2003)