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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) conducted an exercise codenamed TOPAZ in a guesthouse setting in a building in Tsim Sha Tsui this morning (November 6) as a drill for the Preparedness and Response Plan for Ebola virus disease of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
"Apart from testing the co-ordination between the DH and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) on field investigation and disinfection in a guesthouse setting, the Ground Movement today also engaged the management office of the building in case a patient is infected with Ebola with a view to enhancing preparedness and responsiveness of relevant stakeholders to Ebola," a spokesman for the DH explained.
Under the simulation, a traveller from an Ebola-affected country who developed nausea and vomiting after check-in at a guesthouse in the building was suspected of being infected with Ebola. The guesthouse keeper hence called an ambulance to send the patient to hospital.
Upon laboratory confirmation as an Ebola case, the CHP's Outbreak Team arranged an urgent field epidemiological investigation at the guesthouse to identify the possible source of infection and potential contacts, as well as sites and objects contaminated by the patient's body fluids.
With assistance from the management office of the building, the guesthouse keeper who had direct contact with the patient or his vomitus was traced as a close contact and immediately instructed to adopt precautionary measures. In addition, the patient's room and the lift lobby of the building which might have been contaminated by the patient's vomitus were identified for necessary disinfection by the FEHD, while contaminated items were collected and then properly disinfected or disposed of.
The CHP's Infection Control Branch (ICB) monitored the gowning and de-gowning of personal protective equipment (PPE) by field officers and staff of the management office as well as disinfection and infection control measures throughout the exercise.
"The exercise again provided a valuable opportunity for relevant parties to test their preparedness and identify areas for improvement. The Government is committed to maintaining preparedness against Ebola," the spokesman said.
"Exercise TOPAZ involves a series of multi-agency drills based on the Plan launched on August 20 with the Alert Response Level activated accordingly. We will continue to conduct interdepartmental exercises with government bureaux/departments, organisations and stakeholders concerned in close partnership," the spokesman added.
Officers from the CHP's Emergency Response and Information Branch, Surveillance and Epidemiology Branch and ICB, as well as the FEHD, observed the exercise today.
Ends/Thursday, November 6, 2014
Issued at HKT 13:05
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