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HK closes schools after surge in flu cases

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-12 12:58

HONG KONG -- Hong Kong confirmed its first cluster of indigenous cases of A(H1N1) influenza on Thursday, and announced a 14-day suspension for all primary schools, kindergartens, childcare centers and special schools to prevent the flu spread.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang made the announcement on Thursday after a meeting of the steering committee on the fight against the pandemic.

Kindergarten students wear masks as they attend lessons in Hong Kong June 11, 2009. [Agencies]

"We now migrate from the containment phase to the new mitigation phase," he said.

Twelve students from St. Paul's Convent School in Causeway Bay were confirmed to have contracted the A(H1N1) virus, which became the first local cluster of cases in the territory.

Tsang said it is inevitable Hong Kong would have local cases, but all citizens and the government have successfully postponed the arrival of the first indigenous case.

The Education Bureau and the Department of Health will monitor the situation daily, to decide whether or not classes will resume after the 14-day period.

The Hospital Authority will open on Saturday eight flu clinics for managing patients with influenza-like illness. The authority will expand the number of clinics to 18 if necessary, Tsang said.

He also urges the public not to panic. "The government will continue to be vigilant and fully prepared for the worst. There is no need for the public to panic but they must stay alert and pay high attention to personal and community hygiene."

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Secretary for Education Michael Suen says his bureau will make an announcement about whether or not schools will re-open on or before June 23, and different tests of primary schools will be canceled, finished or rescheduled.

Secretary for Food and Health York Chow said at a briefing, Hong Kong's Fight the Pandemic campaign is now transiting from the containment to mitigation phase in gradual steps, by gearing up medical services and beefing up health advice to the public.

He noted that all public events can continue but the organizers should ensure the hygiene of the venues and urge the participants to pay attention to personal hygiene.

Hong Kong government will continues its current port health measures at border control points, including health declaration, temperature screening, and boarding of flights by port health officers when alerted by crew to sick passengers. Port Health will post notices at all exit points and advise all departure and transfer travelers not to travel if they are having fever or flu symptoms.

The Center for Health Protection will no longer perform tracing of social contacts, given that their risk approximates that of the general public since the disease has taken root in the community by this time.

Center for Health Protection Controller Thomas Tsang said the mother and younger brother of the 16-year-old St Paul's Convent School student, who was confirmed to have the virus on Wednesday, are asymptomatic.

The center on Thursday confirmed one more imported case, bringing the total number of known human A(H1N1) flu cases in Hong Kong to 61. The patient is a 43-year-old woman returning from a trip to Europe.