|
WHO Environmental Health Team Arrives In Hong Kong
Press Release - April 28, 2003
The following is issued on behalf of World Health Organisation:
A small team of environmental health experts, provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), arrived in the Chinese Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong yesterday (April 27) to assist the Hong Kong Department of Health to further investigate risk factors involved in the possible environmental transmission of SARS in residential buildings.
WHO team leader in Hong Kong SAR, Dr Udo Buchholz, said: "The Hong Kong health and environment authorities have done an excellent job in investigating SARS outbreaks in residential buildings including Amoy Gardens and the Metropole Hotel.
"The WHO environmental team will work hand in hand with the Hong Kong authorities to see where value can be added and to determine together what leads are the best ones to follow."
The four members of the team, all from Health Canada, have combined expertise in mechanical ventilation, plumbing systems, airborne monitoring and sampling, along with strong analytical skills.
The environmental specialists join the WHO team of epidemiologists who have been working for some weeks in Hong Kong SAR assisting the Department of Health in its response to SARS.
The environmental team comprises:
Dr Heinz Feldmann (team leader) - infectious diseases specialist/virologist, specialising in sampling, interpretation of data and epidemiology of communicable diseases.
Mr Immo Tilgner - has extensive expertise in mechanical building systems, including evaluation of ventilation and plumbing systems.
Mr Allen Grolla - specialising in technical sampling and analysis and molecular detection of viruses.
Dr Ramon Flick - virologist with expertise in mechanical virology sampling and analysis and virus isolation from different samples.
Additional environmental health experts from Australia may join the WHO team later depending on the number of projects agreed to be undertaken.
The environmental health team's first visit today was to the Public Health Laboratory where they will access facilities to analyse environmental samples.
Residential estates that the team will inspect during their stay in Hong Kong SAR, expected to be around three weeks, include the Hing Tung Lau, Amoy Gardens, Metropole Hotel and Koway Court.
For updated information and latest news on respiratory tract infections, please visit the special home page on the subject at www.info.gov.hk/info/infection-e.htm, and the HKSAR Department of Health website at www.info.gov.hk/dh/ap.htm as well as the e-bulletin at www.news.gov.hk/en/index.shtml.
|
