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"Exercise Ruby" tests Government response to outbreak of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus (with photo)
The Government tested its preparedness for a possible outbreak of
Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus today
(March 27) during a high level desktop exercise codenamed "Exercise
Ruby", organised by the Food and Health Bureau and the Centre for
Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health in collaboration
with other Government departments.
Under the exercise simulation, Hong Kong encountered its first
imported case of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel
Coronavirus. Senior representatives from Government bureaux,
departments and organisations took part in a Serious Response Level
steering committee meeting, chaired by the Secretary for Food and
Health, Dr Ko Wing-man. During the meeting, representatives assessed
the risk level by considering key factors such as areas of
transmissibility, geographical spread, clinical severity, pre-existing
immunity, availability of effective preventive measures and
recommendations by international health authorities.
The exercise scenario involved an imported case in which a patient
returned from a country where cases of Severe Respiratory Disease
associated with Novel Coronavirus had been reported. The patient
developed respiratory symptoms on the flight. He and his wife had also
attended a wedding reception the day after his return to Hong Kong,
triggering the need for subsequent close-contact identification and
quarantine. In view of the risk assessment of a possible serious
health impact of the disease in Hong Kong, the Director of Health
recommended, and the Secretary for Food and Health agreed, to raise
the response level to "Serious" upon the confirmation of a local case
of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus.
Thirty-two close contacts of the patient on the flight to Hong Kong
and at the wedding reception were identified and quarantined. On the
day of exercise, six quarantined close contacts developed respiratory
symptoms and three of them tested positive for novel coronavirus. The
World Health Organization announced that there was sustained
human-to-human transmission on the same day following reports of
community outbreak in another country.
A spokesman for the Food and Health Bureau said that the exercise had
tested the Government's response measures for the control of the
disease, the command structure as well as the mechanism for activation
of response levels. It had also focused on the preparedness and
response actions of relevant government bureaux, departments and
organisations, and offered members the opportunity to assess the risk
of health impact on Hong Kong, before deciding the need for the
escalation of the response level from "Serious" to "Emergency" as well
as the corresponding enhanced response actions.
In addition, the exercise served to formulate and oversee the
implementation of a co-ordinated and timely response and disease
control strategy, and to decide on measures to be taken which will
have a wider impact on the community. A total of 36 representatives
from three bureaux and nine departments/organisations participated in
the exercise.
On January 25, 2013, the CHP and relevant departments and
organisations conducted ground movement exercises codenamed 'Amber' in
preparation for outbreaks of other respiratory diseases. Exercise
Amber simulated a locally acquired novel influenza infection and
prompted an on-site quarantine operation at an elderly home. Public
hospitals, in conjunction with the Hospital Authority Infectious
Disease Centre, also conducted drills focusing on patient management
in different clinical settings to test collaboration among
specialties.
To conclude, the spokesman said, "The exercise provided a valuable
opportunity for relevant parties of the public sector to test their
preparedness and identify areas for improvement. The Government is
committed to maintaining preparedness against any possible outbreak of
Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus."
Ends/Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Issued at HKT 13:16
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Photo