*******************************
The Department of Health (DH) today (January 15) updated the list of areas affected by Ebola virus disease in response to the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration yesterday (January 14) that Ebola virus transmission has been ended in Liberia.
According to the WHO, the outbreak in Liberia has ended as 42 days, twice the maximum incubation period (21 days), have passed since the second negative test of the last laboratory-confirmed case and no further cases were reported. However, the WHO cautions that new flare-ups are likely to occur and that three countries, namely Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, remain at high risk of additional small outbreaks of Ebola.
"We have been closely monitoring the disease situation and accordingly updating the risk assessment. No Ebola cases have been detected locally to date. As Ebola, under viral haemorrhagic fever, has been a notifiable infectious disease in Hong Kong, suspected or confirmed cases must be promptly notified for investigation, control and surveillance, which remain effective and comprehensive against Ebola," a spokesman for the DH said.
"Locally, doctors should pay attention to patients who travelled to Liberia on or before January 14, 2016, or Guinea on or before December 29, 2015, who develop compatible symptoms within 21 days as they still meet the reporting criteria and are also statutorily required to be promptly notified," the spokesman added.
Members of the public are still reminded to be vigilant and upon returning from affected areas should observe closely their health conditions for 21 days. If they develop symptoms of Ebola virus disease, they should call 999 and inform the staff about their condition to arrange consultation in an Accident and Emergency Department.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the DH will issue letters to doctors and hospitals on the update.
The pages below will be updated accordingly:
* The CHP's Ebola page (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/34199.html);
* The CHP's list of Ebola-affected areas and statistics (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/evd_affected_area.pdf);
* The DH's Travel Health Service (www.travelhealth.gov.hk/eindex.html); and
* The Outbound Travel Alert page of the Security Bureau (www.sb.gov.hk/eng/ota).
Ends/Friday, January 15, 2016
Issued at HKT 18:32
NNNN
