The new crown epidemic has not yet subsided, and "monkeypox" epidemics have occurred overseas.
The Food and Health Bureau said today (1st) that in order to strengthen the response to monkeypox, the government will gazette monkeypox as a statutory notifiable infectious disease next week, and will formulate a "preparation and contingency plan" to deal with monkeypox. It is planned to adopt a three-level response level. Once a monkeypox case or even an outbreak occurs in Hong Kong, the relevant mechanism can be activated immediately. The authorities have announced that the details of the relevant plan will be announced next week.
In addition, the Government and the HA are also preparing to purchase monkeypox vaccines and medicines, and formulate recommendations for clinical treatment.
The webpage provides information on monkeypox and a list of countries with outbreaks
The Food and Health Bureau also pointed out that the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) has stepped up its monitoring of monkeypox since last month, including communicating with the Hospital Authority about reporting cases. cases in order to conduct epidemiological investigations and arrange for isolation as soon as possible.
The Centre has also updated the relevant webpage to provide information on monkeypox and the list of countries with confirmed cases.
To further strengthen related work, the government will gazette next week to include monkeypox as a statutory notifiable infectious disease under Schedule 1 of the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599), with effect from the same day.
According to the law, medical practitioners are required to report to the Department of Health if they have reason to suspect a case of an infectious disease listed in Schedule 1 of the Ordinance.
monkeypox virus strain.
The contingency plan adopts three contingency levels
The Bureau of Food and Health continued to say that a contingency plan for monkeypox is currently being formulated. The contingency plan adopts three contingency levels, namely alert, severe and urgent, which are activated according to the risk assessment and its health impact on the society, and it is predicted that it will be launched next week Publish contingency plans.
A government spokesman said that no confirmed cases of human infection with monkeypox virus have been found in Hong Kong so far, but people around the world have been infected with the virus one after another. Monkeypox has been included in a statutory notifiable infectious disease and a contingency plan has been developed for monkeypox outbreaks to enhance Hong Kong's ability to monitor and respond to the disease.
▼Zhang Zhujun sent a letter to a private doctor titled "Beware of Monkeypox"▼
Monkeypox symptoms similar to smallpox but milder
The government also urges the public to seek medical attention as soon as possible if they have symptoms of monkeypox, including fever, severe headache, muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, mouth ulcers and rash.
The CHP reminds the public that the symptoms of monkeypox are similar to smallpox, but the disease is relatively mild. It is generally transmitted through direct or indirect contact, not through short-lived contact with respiratory droplets like the new coronavirus, and patients usually recover on their own.
Human infection with monkeypox first appeared in 1970, and monkeypox outbreaks have occurred mainly in Central and West Africa since then.
People can become infected when they come into contact with infected animals, infected people or contaminated objects.
Since May this year, there have been confirmed and suspected cases of monkeypox in Europe, the United States, Australia and other places, and no deaths have been reported so far.
▼May 31, the first day of the implementation of the third phase of the vaccine pass▼
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The CHP also reminds the public that good personal and hand hygiene can help prevent exposure to the virus, and previous vaccination against smallpox (commonly known as "cowpox") can also help prevent monkeypox infection.
To reduce the risk of infection, the public should pay attention to the following 4 points if they need to travel to places affected by monkeypox virus:
1. Avoid contact with sick people or animals
2. When caring for sick people or handling animals, wear protective clothing and equipment, including gloves and surgical masks, and wash hands after these procedures
3. Cook all animal products thoroughly before eating
4. If you have any suspected symptoms, seek medical attention as soon as possible
▼On May 30th, citizens rushed to take the third vaccine to cope with the vaccine pass▼
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The Department of Health points out that there is still a risk of the new crown epidemic in summer. Chen Zhaoshi: The risk of monkeypox in Hong Kong is not high. No monkeypox cases have been recorded in Hong Kong. Pox can't see the possibility of a fifth wave of rapid rebound Monkeypox｜Zhang Zhujun sent a letter to a private doctor suspected of being infected with patients who meet two factors and must be reported
