โดย kiatisak » 22 เม.ย. 2013, 09:23
HK prepares for H7N9
Government implements contingency plans for bird flu outbreak
Text : Anvil Ong
KEY IDEA : With more H7N9 casualties in the mainland, Hong Kong has stepped up response measures. They include doubling the number of intensive care beds if there is a H7N9 pandemic. There will also be special artificial lungs for critically ill patients. More staff will be deployed at border control points for temperature checks.
THE number of intensive care beds will be doubled should there be a H7N9 pandemic here, the Hospital Authority (?????) said.
In the mainland on Tuesday, there were two more deaths from the new bird flu strain and 14 more infections.
The number of deaths and infections from H7N9 rose to 17 and 82 respectively. The mainland government has warned that the number of infections could rise.
Chan Wai-ming (???), working group convener of the Hospital Authority Intensive Care Unit (??????????), said the number of beds in units will be increased to 127 with territorywide isolation facilities should the situation worsen. In the worst scenario there will be 156 beds.
Chan said the authority also has special equipment, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machines, at four leading hospitals for use by critically ill patients.
The machines, traditionally operated during bypass surgery, were also used on swine flu patients. They help relieve acute respiratory distress, which is responsible for most swine flu deaths.
"They act like an artificial lung by removing carbon dioxide from the blood and adding oxygen outside the body," Chan said.
Meanwhile, Director of Health (?????) Constance Chan Hon-yee (???) said more staff will be deployed at border control points. They will conduct temperature checks for visitors during the May 1 Golden Week.
Chan said airlines have already been told to increase broadcasts on flights to remind passengers to report any illnesses.
In Beijing, the seven-year-old girl treated for H7N9 was discharged from hospital. She tested negative for the virus four times after receiving medical treatment. The daughter of poultry traders was the first confirmed human case in the capital.
Wearing a bright blue coat and pink backpack, she said she was feeling much better. "I miss home...I want to return home and play," she said.
Mainland health authorities say they do not know exactly how the virus is spreading. It is believed to be crossing to humans from birds.
The World Health Organization says a team of flu experts, including those from the organisation itself, will be going to China to help with investigations into the H7N9 virus.
(The Standard)
from the Student Standard, News in Liberal Studies, Apr 22, 2013
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