The Macau Health Bureau (SSM) is urging residents and private medical institutions to stay vigilant against the potentially deadly Ebola virus disease*, after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
The bureau said in a statement last night that it has started launching various new measures with the aim of enhancing Macau’s capabilities to prevent the disease.
According to the statement, the new measures have been launched in three main aspects, namely health inspection measures at border checkpoints, at medical institutions and at the community level.
The statement said that the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre activated its response mechanism and epidemic prevention preparations yesterday, fully implementing all necessary infection control measures, while seminars on epidemic prevention have been held for frontline healthcare workers, covering topics such as the current epidemiological situation of the Ebola virus disease, triage and screening mechanisms, notification and sample submission procedures, infection control and prevention measures, and the correct donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Border checkpoints
Concerning measures at border checkpoints, the statement underlined, the Health Bureau, in collaboration with the Public Security Police (PSP), has strengthened health inspection measures against Ebola at all major border checkpoints.
According to the statement, health inspection personnel at border checkpoints will question and check all individuals holding passports from the countries affected by the ongoing Ebola outbreak.
If a person travelling from a country affected by Ebola presents with symptoms suggestive of the Ebola virus disease, they will be immediately transferred to the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre for further assessment and examination, the statement said, adding that those without symptoms will be subject to health monitoring by the Macau Health Bureau.
The statement also said that notices have been posted in border checkpoints’ arrival halls, urging asymptomatic individuals with a travel or contact history in countries affected by Ebola to report to the Health Bureau, with the aim of further strengthening Macau’s health screening for people arriving in Macau from affected countries or those arriving in Macau after taking transit flights through these countries.
The statement also underlined that Macau has long maintained a comprehensive infectious disease surveillance and border health quarantine mechanism, according to which body temperature monitoring and health assessments are conducted on travellers at all major border checkpoints, enabling early detection of individuals with fever or related symptoms.
Healthcare system
In terms of new measures in Macau’s healthcare system in response to the Ebola threat, the statement said, the Health Bureau has reviewed its existing guidelines for the prevention and control of the Ebola virus disease and has issued its latest guidelines to private medical institutions, urging frontline healthcare workers to ask patients with suspected symptoms about their travel history within the 21 days prior to the onset of symptoms, so as to facilitate early detection and notification of suspected cases.
In addition, the statement said, the Health Bureau will continue improving its contingency plans in response to the Ebola threat, ensuring sufficient capacity to address relevant risks.
The Health Bureau has also required all medical institutions to review their isolation facilities, patient transfer mechanisms, and infection control practices, with the aim of ensuring that response measures can be activated quickly and safely in the event of a suspected case, so as to prevent virus transmission within the healthcare environment.
Community level
At the community level, the statement said, the Health Bureau has strengthened its public education and awareness efforts, using various channels such as infographics and new media to help residents understand the current risks, transmission routes, and preventive measures for the Ebola virus disease.
The statement urged residents to avoid travelling to countries affected by the Ebola virus disease unless absolutely necessary. If travel is unavoidable, the statement said, they should pay extra attention to personal hygiene and avoid contact with patients’ bodily fluids and wild animals.
After returning to Macau, they should monitor their own health conditions, and seek immediate medical treatment and report their travel history if they feel unwell.
* The name Ebola is derived from the Ebola River in the northern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire). The virus was discovered near the river in 1976. On average, the case fatality rate (CFR) is approximately 50 percent. – Gemini
The two posters released by the Health Bureau (SSM) last night show information on health declaration at border checkpoints and the Ebola virus disease. The AI-translated English texts were arranged by the Post.
