Govt to cut quarantine period for pets from mainland
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RTHK
12 hours ago
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Imported Chikungunya cases unlikely to be endemic
Imported Chikungunya cases unlikely to be endemic Dr Albert Au says any Chikungunya cases will bring contact tracing, blood tests and mosquito elimination work in possible infection areas. Photo: RTHK The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Thursday that there is a "moderate to high risk" that imported cases of Chikungunya fever will give rise to local transmission in some places in Hong Kong. Speaking on an RTHK radio show, the head of the communicable disease branch, Dr Alert Au, noted that there have been about 6,100 cases in Guangdong, about 90 percent of which were recorded in Foshan. The transmissibility of Chikungunya fever is even higher than dengue fever, Au said, and its incubation period is relatively short. While the SAR has not recorded any imported cases, Au said the CHP is on high alert. "Hongkongers like to go to Guangdong very much," he said. "Once there is frequent travel, we think there is quite a high risk of imported cases." "Also, as it's now summer in Hong Kong, even though the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department's (FEHD) index measuring mosquito breeding has shown improvements compared to last year, but because of summer, the mosquito problem might have worsened than in previous months." "So if there are imported cases, there is a moderate to high risk that it will lead to local transmission in some places or the emergence of local cases." However, Au went on to say that there is an "extremely low" chance that any imported Chikungunya cases will become endemic as the mosquito-borne disease is a statutory notifiable disease. Once the CHP is notified of any Chikungunya fever cases, Au said it will take measures, such as contact tracing, arranging blood tests, and have the FEHD carry out mosquito elimination work in areas within a 250-metre radius of places that a patient has gone to, in order to prevent the disease from spreading. Au stressed the virus will not spread from person to person.
RTHK
5 days ago
- RTHK
Third medical school recommendation to come soon
Third medical school recommendation to come soon Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau says the recommendations will be made before September's Policy Address. File photo: RTHK Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau says a working group will submit its recommendation on the establishment of the city's third medical school to the Chief Executive before the Policy Address in September. Three universities - Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology - had earlier submitted proposals to operate the new medical school. Lo said the working group, which comprises six experts, has already met with representatives from all three universities twice. 'We will summarise the proposals from the three universities. The working group will hold another meeting to discuss them. In the short term, we will provide our recommendations to the Chief Executive, who will decide whether to establish a third medical school and which university will run it,' Lo said during a HOY TV programme aired on Saturday. Separately, Lo also mentioned the government's plans to expand no-smoking areas beyond schools and hospitals to include tourist hotspots. Under the '10 tobacco-control measures' unveiled by the Health Bureau in April, one proposal is to extend no-smoking zones to within three metres of entrances to schools and hospitals. It would also empower the Secretary for Health to designate no-smoking areas 'with specific time limits, conditions, or exemptions'. 'We are considering smoking bans in places with many children or students, such as school zones; hospitals and other areas with more elderly people; and also crowded tourist spots,' he said. Lo pointed out that, since March, Shanghai had enforced stricter outdoor smoking regulations at eight popular tourist sites, saying such a move was beneficial to tourism. 'Many tourists dislike being exposed to second-hand smoke... Banning smoking in tourist hotspots could boost tourism,' he said. Lawmakers will resume the second reading of the Tobacco Control Legislation (Amendment) Bill on September 10.
RTHK
24-07-2025
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Professionals get guide on reporting child abuse
Professionals get guide on reporting child abuse Chris Sun says the guide can help professionals report child abuse cases to meet their legal obligations. Photo: RTHK The government on Thursday launched a guide on mandatory reporting of child abuse suspicions, to help professionals to identify and report cases. The Mandatory Report of Child Abuse Ordinance, which will take effect on January 20, requires 25 categories of professionals, including doctors, social workers and teachers, to report suspected serious maltreatment cases. Speaking to the media after a launch ceremony, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun said the guide aims to help professionals report child abuse cases by providing them with practical guidelines so they can properly discharge their legal obligations. 'Apart from the usual practice of publishing guidelines covering all the requirements and setting out all the scenarios, this time round we have also decided to create an electronic version,' Sun said. Professionals, he added, "could click into the website by answering a series of questions, and then they will lead to a conclusion under the system, telling them whether or not the case in point is one that he or she has to report under the law, or one that's not required under the law to be reported'. The guide provides decision trees, supplementary analytical frameworks and sample case scenarios for various circumstances such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and neglect. The professionals will have to make an assessment by answering a number of questions such as whether the child has visible injuries or shows signs of non-visible injuries and whether the injuries are caused by accident or suspicious. The professionals can also find out from the guide how to make a report and what information needs to be provided. Sun said training would be provided to professionals in medical, education and social welfare sectors during the next half year.
