2009 flu pandemic in Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
The 2009 flu pandemic in Hong Kong started with the city's first reported case of Influenza A virus subtype H1N1 infection, commonly called swine flu
, on 1 May 2009, in a Mexican
national who had travelled to Hong Kong
via Shanghai
. It was also the first reported case of in Asia
. As of 25 November 2009, there have been 32,301 confirmed cases of swine flu in the city.
, on 26 April, Secretary for Food and Health
York Chow
announced that Hong Kong had raised its influenza pandemic
alertness level to "serious", out of three possible alertness levels: alert, serious, and emergency. Hong Kong also became one of the first jurisdictions to declare swine flu as a notifiable disease
, and much of the procedures against the spread of the swine flu were learned from the 2003 SARS outbreak
, of which Hong Kong was the epicenter of the outbreak. Chow advised Hong Kong residents to avoid travelling to cities facing an outbreak of the flu, and stated that swine flu has been added to the list of notifiable disease
, which required cases of the flu to be reported to the government. Residents were also advised to take precautionary measures against infection if travel to affected areas was necessary. Surveillance measures at boundary control points were boosted to detect travellers with fever and respiratory symptoms, and travellers who were suspected of being infected would be quarantined and monitored.
Donald Tsang
told reporters that tests performed by the Department of Health
and the University of Hong Kong confirmed that a 25-year old Mexican citizen who had traveled to the city via Shanghai on a China Eastern Airlines
flight was infected with swine flu. In light of this, Tsang raised Hong Kong's influenza pandemic alertness level to "emergency" from "serious". This first confirmed case of swine flu in Hong Kong was also the first confirmed case in Asia. The man had developed a fever after arriving in Hong Kong, and was then isolated in Princess Margaret Hospital
, the hospital designated to handle swine flu cases. The hotel where the traveller had stayed, the Metropark Hotel in Wanchai, was quarantined and about 200 guests and 100 staff were instructed to remain in the hotel for seven days regardless of whether or not they had come into contact with the traveller. Authorities also made an effort to track down anybody who had made contact with the traveller, with Chow appealing to those who were on the same flight as the traveller to contact health officials.
The guests and staff were released on 8 May, when the quarantine expired. Tsang was at the hotel for the release, speaking to reporters and with those who had been quarantined. To compensate for the quarantine, the government offered guests two free nights of accommodation at other hotels in Hong Kong. The Mexican traveller was also discharged after treatment with the antiviral drug Tamiflu and the Centre for Health Protection
confirmed that he was no longer carrying the virus.
contracted the swine flu virus, Chief Executive Donald Tsang ordered the closure of all primary schools, kindergartens, and special schools for two weeks starting from 12 June. The 12 cases of infection were confirmed to be the first known cluster of local transmission of the virus. According to the Education Bureau, the school closure affected about 500,000 students from 964 kindergartens, 601 primary schools and 61 special schools.
Swine flu
Swine influenza, also called pig influenza, swine flu, hog flu and pig flu, is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus. Swine influenza virus or S-OIV is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs...
, on 1 May 2009, in a Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
national who had travelled to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
via Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. It was also the first reported case of in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. As of 25 November 2009, there have been 32,301 confirmed cases of swine flu in the city.
Initial response
Following news of the flu outbreak in Mexico and the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, on 26 April, Secretary for Food and Health
Secretary for Food and Health
The Secretary for Food and Health is a ministerial position in the Hong Kong Government, who heads the Food and Health Bureau...
York Chow
York Chow
York Chow Yat-ngok , GBS, SBS, MBE, JP, is the Secretary for Food and Health of Hong Kong. He is a member of the Executive Council. He was appointed as Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food in 2004. The position has since been renamed to Secretary for Food and Health from reshuffling in...
announced that Hong Kong had raised its influenza pandemic
Influenza pandemic
An influenza pandemic is an epidemic of an influenza virus that spreads on a worldwide scale and infects a large proportion of the human population. In contrast to the regular seasonal epidemics of influenza, these pandemics occur irregularly, with the 1918 Spanish flu the most serious pandemic in...
alertness level to "serious", out of three possible alertness levels: alert, serious, and emergency. Hong Kong also became one of the first jurisdictions to declare swine flu as a notifiable disease
Notifiable disease
A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities. The collation of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease, and provides early warning of possible outbreaks. Many governments have enacted regulations for reporting of both human...
, and much of the procedures against the spread of the swine flu were learned from the 2003 SARS outbreak
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . Between November 2002 and July 2003 an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the WHO...
, of which Hong Kong was the epicenter of the outbreak. Chow advised Hong Kong residents to avoid travelling to cities facing an outbreak of the flu, and stated that swine flu has been added to the list of notifiable disease
Notifiable disease
A notifiable disease is any disease that is required by law to be reported to government authorities. The collation of information allows the authorities to monitor the disease, and provides early warning of possible outbreaks. Many governments have enacted regulations for reporting of both human...
, which required cases of the flu to be reported to the government. Residents were also advised to take precautionary measures against infection if travel to affected areas was necessary. Surveillance measures at boundary control points were boosted to detect travellers with fever and respiratory symptoms, and travellers who were suspected of being infected would be quarantined and monitored.
First case
On 1 May, Hong Kong Chief ExecutiveChief Executive of Hong Kong
The Chief Executive of Hong Kong is the President of the Executive Council of Hong Kong and head of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The position was created to replace the Governor of Hong Kong, who was the head of the Hong Kong government during British rule...
Donald Tsang
Donald Tsang
Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, GBM, KBE is the current Chief Executive and President of the Executive Council of the Government of Hong Kong....
told reporters that tests performed by the Department of Health
Department of Health (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong's Department of Health is responsible for healthcare policies and the provision of basic healthcare services. The public hospitals are managed by the Department's Hospital Authority...
and the University of Hong Kong confirmed that a 25-year old Mexican citizen who had traveled to the city via Shanghai on a China Eastern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited is an airline headquartered on the grounds of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport in Changning District, Shanghai, China. It is a major Chinese airline operating international, domestic and regional routes. Its main hubs are at Shanghai Pudong...
flight was infected with swine flu. In light of this, Tsang raised Hong Kong's influenza pandemic alertness level to "emergency" from "serious". This first confirmed case of swine flu in Hong Kong was also the first confirmed case in Asia. The man had developed a fever after arriving in Hong Kong, and was then isolated in Princess Margaret Hospital
Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong
Princess Margaret Hospital or PMH is a hospital in south Kwai Chung, near Lai Chi Kok, Hong Kong. It is a major hospital mostly serving Kwai Tsing District and managed by Hospital Authority...
, the hospital designated to handle swine flu cases. The hotel where the traveller had stayed, the Metropark Hotel in Wanchai, was quarantined and about 200 guests and 100 staff were instructed to remain in the hotel for seven days regardless of whether or not they had come into contact with the traveller. Authorities also made an effort to track down anybody who had made contact with the traveller, with Chow appealing to those who were on the same flight as the traveller to contact health officials.
The guests and staff were released on 8 May, when the quarantine expired. Tsang was at the hotel for the release, speaking to reporters and with those who had been quarantined. To compensate for the quarantine, the government offered guests two free nights of accommodation at other hotels in Hong Kong. The Mexican traveller was also discharged after treatment with the antiviral drug Tamiflu and the Centre for Health Protection
Centre for Health Protection
The Centre for Health Protection is an agency under the Department of Health in Hong Kong and responsible for health and safety.Created in 2003 in response to the SARS outbreak, CHP plays the same role and function as the Centers for Disease Control in the United States and the European Centre for...
confirmed that he was no longer carrying the virus.
School closure
Following the finding that 12 students at St. Paul's Convent SchoolSt. Paul's Convent School
St Paul's Convent SchoolSchool BadgeHeadmistressesSr. Joanna Marie Cheung Sr. Margaret Wong School typePrivate, Girls' School, DSSReligious affiliationCatholicFounded1854Location...
contracted the swine flu virus, Chief Executive Donald Tsang ordered the closure of all primary schools, kindergartens, and special schools for two weeks starting from 12 June. The 12 cases of infection were confirmed to be the first known cluster of local transmission of the virus. According to the Education Bureau, the school closure affected about 500,000 students from 964 kindergartens, 601 primary schools and 61 special schools.
See also
- 2009 flu pandemic2009 flu pandemicThe 2009 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the second of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus , albeit in a new version...
- 2009 flu pandemic in Asia2009 flu pandemic in AsiaThe 2009 flu pandemic in Asia, part of an epidemic in 2009 of a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 causing what has been commonly called swine flu, has afflicted at least 394,133 people in Asia with 2,137 confirmed deaths: there have been 1035 deaths confirmed in India, followed by 737...
- 2009 flu pandemic by country2009 flu pandemic by countryThis article deals with the status and efforts regarding the 2009 flu pandemic by country and continent/region.-Overview:As the pandemic progresses, laboratory testing and confirmation may decrease...
- 2009 flu pandemic timeline2009 flu pandemic timelineThis article covers the chronology of the 2009 novel influenza A pandemic. Flag icons denote the first announcements of confirmed cases by the respective nation-states, their first deaths , and relevant sessions and announcements of the World Health...
- 2009 flu pandemic tables2009 flu pandemic tablesThis page summarises the figures from the WHO Influenza A Situation Updates issued roughly once every other day, and since 6 July from ECDC. For each country or territory, the table lists the number of confirmed cases of swine flu on the first reported day each month, and the latest figure...
- Severe acute respiratory syndromeSevere acute respiratory syndromeSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . Between November 2002 and July 2003 an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the WHO...
(SARS)