HK to enhance ports surveillance under swine flu threat

Special Report: World Tackles Swine Flu

HONG KONG, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Surveillance at boundary control points
will be enhanced from May 1 to guard against swine influenza, Under Secretary
for Food and Health of Hong Kong Gabriel Leung said here Wednesday.

Speaking at a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, Leung said all in-bound
passengers at the Hong Kong International Airport will be required to complete
health declaration forms while help stations will be set up to provide
assistance to in-bound land travelers.

People who do not pass the temperature screening must go to the help
stations for further checks and will be taken to hospitals for tests, if
necessary.

Leung said the government will launch a clean-Hong Kong campaign. The Food
and Environmental Hygiene, Home Affairs and Housing Departments have stepped up
cleansing works at their facilities.

Meanwhile, the government will monitor developments and maintain a close
liaison with the World Health Organization to see if the body will raise its
alert level.

The under secretary said if Hong Kong has a confirmed case, the government
will proactively consider raising its alert level from "serious" to "emergency".
If this happens, the chief executive will chair a steering committee to stem the
virus' spread.

Hong Kong Center for Health Protection Controller Thomas Tsang said no new
patients needed to go to hospitals for swine flu tests. Among the seven patients
being tested, five have been confirmed to be free of the virus while results for
the remaining two are pending.