Hong Kong Announces New Influenza A/H1N1 Surveillance Strategies

The Center for Health Protection Controller in Hong Kong, Thomas Tsang, stated that the monitoring of the influenza A/H1N1 will use new indicators from now on.

According to Tsang, the pandemic virus has spread widely in Hong Kong therefore the government's monitoring strategies should be adjusted.

New strategies include only testing patients with special medical conditions for the flu since the number of confirmed cases does not reflect the real situation.

Other strategies include measuring percentage testing positive to the flu virus in designated clinics, flu surveillance at designated clinics, and influenza like illness surveillance among sentinel private doctors.

The center will not release any newly confirmed cases daily starting September 28. The daily announcement will only contain fatal or critical cases and school outbreaks.

Laboratory tests will also be adjusted to follow the new measures. Tests are only going to be carried on patients that are pregnant, below one year of age, in healthcare workers, patients in institutions without prior reports of outbreak, patients with persistent fever, or patients who suffer a condition deteriorate after two days of treatment.