Measles Outbreaks Prompt Health Advisory for International Travelers from Hong Kong

DH reminds public to take appropriate preventive measures against measles amid outbreaks in multiple countries due to low vaccination rates

Due to ongoing measles outbreaks in multiple countries around the world caused by low vaccination rates, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (November 3) reminded members of the public planning to travel abroad to visit the DH's Travel Health Service webpagebefore departure to check if their destination has a high incidence of measles or an outbreak. They should take appropriate preventive measures, such as ensuring they had received two doses of the measles vaccination, and maintain good personal and environmental hygiene at all times. International students in affected countries should also review their vaccination records. If they are unsure whether they had received two doses of the measles vaccination, they should arrange to get vaccinated as soon as possible to prevent infection. As the winter break will soon begin in some countries, and students studying abroad will return to Hong Kong, the CHP urged the public to remain vigilant and seek immediate medical attention if they feel unwell. They should also report their symptoms and travel history to the healthcare workers before their appointment so that appropriate infection control measures can be implemented at the healthcare facilities to prevent a community spread. Schools should also remain vigilant to reduce the risk of infectious disease transmission on campus.

Measles is an endemic infection in many parts of the world. So far this year, the United States (US) has recorded more than 4 800 cases of measles, more than double last year's total. The situation remains out of control in the US. Pennsylvania and New York have reported measles-related deaths, and none of the deceased had received the measles vaccination. In Asia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Laos and the Philippines have also experienced measles outbreaks due to low vaccination coverage.

"Overseas cases mainly affected individuals who were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status, underscoring the importance of maintaining a high vaccination rate and herd immunity. Under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme and its immunisation services provided by the DH's Maternal and Child Health Centres and the School Immunisation Teams, the overall immunisation coverage in Hong Kong has been maintained at a very high level. This has enabled Hong Kong to successfully maintain its measles-free status to date, even amid measles outbreaks in many parts of the world. As evidenced by the findings on vaccination coverage of primary school students and the territory-wide immunisation surveys conducted regularly by the DH, the two-dose measles vaccination coverage has remained consistently high, well above 95 per cent. The local seroprevalence rates of measles virus antibodies reflect that most of the people in Hong Kong are immune to measles. On the whole, the risk of a large-scale outbreak in Hong Kong is low. However, as a city with a high volume of international travel, Hong Kong still faces the potential risk of measles importation. Locally, a small number of people who have not completed a measles vaccination (such as non-local born people, including new immigrants, foreign domestic helpers, overseas employees and people coming to Hong Kong for further studies) are still at risk of being infected and spreading measles to other people who do not have immunity against measles, such as children under 1 year old who have not yet received the first dose of measles vaccine," said the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui.

A total of nine measles cases have been recorded in Hong Kong so far this year. Six were either imported cases or epidemiologically linked to imported cases. The remaining three were local cases. Among the imported cases, patients visited Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam during their incubation periods.

People born before 1967 could be considered to have acquired immunity to measles through natural infection, as measles was endemic in many parts of the world and in Hong Kong at that time. People born in or after 1967 who have not yet completed the two doses of measles vaccination or whose measles vaccination history is unknown, should consult their family doctors as soon as possible to complete the vaccination. For those who plan to travel to measles-endemic areas, if they have not been diagnosed with measles through laboratory tests and have never received two doses of measles vaccine or are not sure if they have received measles vaccine, they should consult a doctor at least two weeks prior to their trip for vaccination. Pregnant women and women preparing for pregnancy as well as children aged under 1 year who are not due for the first dose of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) combined vaccine under theHong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme, are advised not to travel to places with outbreaks of measles.

The incubation period of measles (i.e. the time from infection to onset of illness) is seven to 21 days. Symptoms include fever, skin rash, cough, runny nose and red eyes. If travellers returning from places with a high incidence or outbreak of measles develop relevant symptoms, they should wear a surgical mask, stay home from work or school, avoid crowded places and avoid contact with people without immunity, especially those with weak immune systems, pregnant women and children aged below 1. Those suspected to have been infected are advised to seek medical attention as early as possible and reveal their relevant contact history of measles to healthcare professionals.

For more information on measles, the public may visit the CHP'smeasles thematic page. Members of the public who are going to travel can visit the website of the DH'sTravel Health Servicefor news of measles outbreaks outside Hong Kong.

Source: AI-found images

Speech by FS at inaugural Hong Kong Accounting Profession Lifetime Achievement Honour Ceremony

Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the inaugural Hong Kong Accounting Profession Lifetime Achievement Honour Ceremony today (November 3):

Agnes (Co-President of SMART Accountants Association (SAA) Ms Agnes Chan), Susanna (Co-President of SAA Ms Susanna Chiu), (Director-General of the Coordination Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Zhu Wen), Peter (Honouree Mr Peter Wong), Brian (Honouree Mr T Brian Stevenson), Nellie (Honouree Ms Nellie Fong), Eric (Honouree Mr Eric Li), Carlson (Honouree Mr Carlson Tong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening. It is a pleasure to join you for the inaugural Hong Kong Accounting Profession Lifetime Achievement Honour Ceremony.

My thanks to the SMART Accountants Association, and especially Agnes and Susanna, for bringing us together. You have given us an occasion not simply to recognise distinguished careers, but to reflect on what makes those careers matter.

Tonight is also a personal pleasure. Peter, Brian, Nellie, Eric and Carlson are familiar faces to many of us - and people I am very pleased to see honoured together. It is good to have this opportunity to pause, recognise their contributions, and say something we perhaps do not say often enough: thank you.

Because a lifetime of achievement is about more than the positions they have held or the awards they have received. It is about the trust they have earned. The people they have helped. And the standards they leave for others to build on.

That is what we celebrate tonight.

Accountants are often called the guardians of financial integrity. And rightly so. But we should be clear about what integrity means in practice.

It means asking the difficult question when an explanation seems too convenient. Giving an honest assessment when a client would prefer reassurance. And standing by your professional judgement when the pressure is to look the other way.

It is more than complying with the rules. It is understanding why those rules matter - and whom they protect.

Because behind the numbers are people. An investor committing savings. An entrepreneur seeking finance. Employees whose livelihoods depend on a business being sound.

They may never meet you. But they rely on your work.

That is why integrity is not an abstract ideal. It is a responsibility to people who depend on information they can trust.

And for Hong Kong, that trust is fundamental. As you help businesses grow, guide investment and support Mainland enterprises going global, you do more than provide professional advice. You uphold our reputation as a place where information is credible, standards are respected and people can do business with confidence.

To our five honourees: tonight, we celebrate your individual achievements. But we also celebrate something you share - a lifetime of commitment to this profession and to Hong Kong.

The most important lesson from these distinguished careers is not a title to aspire to or a position to attain. It is a standard to live up to: success matters, but how we achieve it matters just as much.

That lesson will remain essential as our profession enters a new chapter. Technology is changing how we work. Sustainability reporting and evolving global standards are asking more of us.

We should meet that change with curiosity and confidence. Learn the new tools. Ask better questions. But never lose sight of the responsibility that comes with our expertise.

To our younger accountants: the careers we honour tonight show what is possible. Your task is not to repeat them. It is to build on them - and bring your own ideas, energy and sense of purpose to the challenges ahead.

Peter, Brian, Nellie, Eric and Carlson: your legacy lives not only in the work you have done, but in the people you have encouraged - and the possibilities you have opened for those who follow.

Tonight, we honour five distinguished careers. We also look forward to the many more they will inspire.

Thank you.

Source: AI-found images