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On the question of the appropriateness for mandating radiation checks on international passengers arriving from Japan further to two Japanese passengers found by Wuxi airport to have "excessively high" levels of radiation contamination, a spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) made the following response:
"DH has been in very close liaison with the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) of PRC and its provincial China Inspection and Quarantine (CIQs) since the beginning of the current Japanese incident.
To date, neither the Mainland nor any port health authority around the world has mandated entry radiation checks on international passengers arriving from Japan. Indeed, this is also in accordance with the latest advice issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on behalf of the International Atomic Energy Agency, International Maritime Organization, the World Health Organization and the World Meteorological Organization, about the continued safety of air transport operations in Japan.
The five organisations confirmed that there is no restriction to normal air transport operations at Japan's major airports, including Haneda and Narita.
The ICAO further confirmed that there is no health reason that would require checks of passengers emanating from Japan.
Moreover, the Organization confirmed that there is no health risk associated with increased levels of radiation that have been detected at some airports.
Specifically on the issue of whether travellers returning from Japan represent a health risk for others, it is the World health Organization's position that at this time, only those involved in emergency response near the Fukushima nuclear power plant remain in an area where there are higher levels of radioactivity. For their own safety, all such personnel should undergo decontamination when they leave the site.
Travellers who have come from the 20km evacuation zone but have undergone proper decontamination and all travellers from other areas do not pose a radioactive health risk to others. They do not require entry checks.
The Health Desk set up in Hong Kong's airport is to provide service to travellers from Japan who volunteered themselves for radiation checks. During the 24 hours ending at noon today, a total of 58 passengers have patronised the Desk and no contaminated case has been identified.
In summary, while there is currently no medical basis for imposing entry restrictions, the DH is monitoring the situation closely and will advise of any change indicated."
Ends/Saturday, March 26, 2011
Issued at HKT 22:17
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