The Hong Kong SAR Government gazetted the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 1) Notice 2022 and the Prevention and Control of Disease (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 2022 on June 10, Monkeypox is included in Schedule 1 of the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance (Cap. 599) as a scheduled infectious disease. According to the Regulation, doctors who have reason to suspect that a patient is infected with monkeypox are required to report the case to the Department of Health.
Screenshot of the SAR Government Press Release
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health also announced the monkeypox preparedness and response plan. Alert, Severe, and Urgent response levels will be activated based on risk assessment and the health impact of monkeypox on the local community. In the event of a local occurrence or even an outbreak of monkeypox, a contingency plan is activated immediately.
The “Alert” level indicates the presence of locally imported human monkeypox cases or epidemiologically linked cases, or imported animal cases. The “severe” level refers to sporadic cases in the community, or small clusters of cases, or infected animals with epidemiological links to human cases or imported animal cases. After the activation of these two response levels, the Food and Health Bureau will coordinate and direct the government’s response work.
Monkeypox virus particles captured by color transmission electron microscopy Source: UK New Scientist magazine website
As for “urgent” Level, which represents evidence of monkeypox spread in healthcare facilities, or an imminent risk of continued transmission in the community, or the detection of infected animals in the community with no epidemiological link to human cases or imported animal cases. After this level is activated, the Steering Committee will be upgraded to be chaired by the Chief Executive, with core members including the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary and other key officials. At the “emergency” level, the Department of Health, the Education Bureau, and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department assess the need to suspend classes, close public places, stop public gatherings, and reduce non-essential activities and services.
The spokesman of the center said that the contingency plan includes the contingency level and its corresponding command structure, and establishes the contingency system framework, so that different government departments and agencies can coordinate and take actions according to the agreed mechanism to reduce monkeypox. The number of illnesses and deaths locally, and urged the public to seek medical attention as soon as possible if they have symptoms of monkeypox, such as fever, severe headache, muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, mouth ulcers and rash.
There are no confirmed cases of monkeypox in Hong Kong so far. However, there have recently been confirmed cases of human monkeypox infection in some monkeypox-endemic and non-endemic countries, and the World Health Organization has called on governments to prepare.