Chairman’s Announcement (10 Dec 2007)

A new case of human infection with H5N1 avian influenza virus was confirmed on 6 December in Jiangsu Province. The 52-year-old male is the father of the 24-year-old man who died from H5N1 infection on 2 December 2007. He is one of the close contacts placed under medical observation. He developed symptoms on 3 December and was sent to hospital for treatment. Staff and students are reminded to stay away from chickens and wild birds when traveling abroad. Eat only thoroughly cooked poultry and eggs.

Winter is the peak season for influenza. To prevent influenza and other respiratory tract infections, healthy lifestyle is advised as follow:

• to build up good body immunity by having a proper diet, regular exercise, adequate rest, reducing stress and avoid smoking;
  
• to maintain good personal hygiene and wash hands frequently; wear a mask when developing symptoms of respiratory infections;
  
• to maintain good ventilation even in very cold weather;
  
• to avoid visiting crowded places with poor ventilation.

The University Health Service provides influenza vaccination each year. The influenza vaccination programme started in September this year has already covered more than 2,500 staff and students. The vaccination helps protect you from complications of influenza by immunization prior to the peak influenza season. The vaccination is charged at cost price of $70. For those who have not got the vaccination, please visit the UHS during office hour or call 2609-6428 for enquiry.

Chairman’s Announcement (6 Dec 2007)

The Council for Sustainable Development has launched an Engagement Process on Better Air Quality to seek public views on ways to improve the air quality of Hong Kong. An Air Summit will be held on 17 December 2007 to collect public views on this important topic. As a partner organization in the initiative, the University encourages its staff and students to participate in this event. Details of the Summit can be viewed at http://www.susdev.org.hk/en/registration.asp. Let’s make use of this opportunity and make our contribution towards improving the air quality of Hong Kong.

Chairman’s Announcement (5 Dec 2007)

As long holiday is approaching soon after the examination period, staff and students are reminded to take extra precaution when celebrating Christmas. Make sure that the food is thoroughly cooked, especially when using hot pot dining. The core temperature of food should reach 75 degrees Celsius for two to three minutes to ensure that most of the bacteria are killed. Frequent handwashing, particularly before handling food and eating. For those who plan to travel to South East Asia, protect yourself from mosquitoes by physical means and other prophylaxis to prevent Dengue Fever and Malaria. Please contact the University Health Service for advice if you are traveling to Malaria endemic areas.

WHO confirmed on December 4 that a new human H5N1 infection in China, giving a cumulative total of 26 cases including 17 deaths in China. Students and staff are reminded to stay away from wild birds and sick chickens. Eat only thoroughly cooked poultry and eggs. Seek immediately medical advice if you develop fever after contacted with poultry. The University Health Service offers travel advice, prophylaxis and immunization for travelling. Influenza Vaccination is also available at cost price.

Chairman’s Announcement (5 Oct 2007)

The Committee on Health Promotion and Protection (CHPP), in collaboration with the University Health Service, provides a variety of health promotion programmes which have been well-received by staff and students.

To encourage walking in our beautiful campus, the Walking Campaign (Phase 2) will be held on 2 November 2007 (Friday) at 9:00 am at the University KCR Station. Participants will walk from University KCR Station to Shaw College, via the scenic Alumni Path, Chinese Medicine Garden and Alumni Garden. Healthy snacks will be available at Shaw College Lecture Theatre after the walk. Details can be viewed at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/uhs/en/news/walkingNov2007.jpg. Come and join by registering online at http://perntc.per.cuhk.edu.hk/personnel/crsreg/crslist_misc.asp?crs=oth.

In an effort to promote mental health in campus, a series of talks on brain health are organized in the Healthy Campus, Prosperous Talk. The first talk on Alzheimer’s Disease was conducted on 25 September 2007 with extremely encouraging support. The next one on ‘The Neuroscience of Stress Management’ will be held on 31 October 2007. Please find more information on the latest talks at the website of University Health Service.

The Campus Health Ambassadors Programme has been a very successful student programme. This is the fifth year since its launch in 2003. The main theme of the Programme is to train 40 students from four Colleges for promoting health awareness, and to organize series of health-related activities in the campus. The Ambassadors, through a series of training, will be taught the skills and strategies in the development and maintenance of positive attitude to health and well-being. Details can be obtained at the website of University Health Service.

Chairman's Announcement (28 Aug 2007)

On behalf of the Committee on Health Promotion and Protection (CHPP), I would like to extend my warmest welcome to all of you in the new academic year. CHPP is tasked with coordinating efforts of health promotion and disease prevention in the University. Please visit our website which contains useful information on infectious disease preventive measures and campus health education activities.

The University is committed to foster a health-promoting culture within our university community. We encourage everybody to adopt and maintain healthy attitudes and lifestyles – physically, mentally, psychologically, spiritually and socially. It can be started by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and taking adequate rest. This will help to improve your personal health and well-being.

As the risk of avian flu pandemic still exists, the Avian Flu Alert Response Level in campus is maintained at the “Alert Response Level”. We would urge everyone to build up good personal and environmental hygiene practices. Do remember to wash hands regularly and thoroughly, wear a surgical mask if you have respiratory tract infection symptoms, and consult a doctor if you feel unwell. To protect the health of fellow students, all Student Hostel residents are required to fill in a Health Declaration Form upon checking in at the hostel to report on their own health conditions and recent travel history.

The University Health Service organizes regular immunization campaigns, health promotion activities and seminars for all students and staff, such as:

• Influenza Vaccination Campaign
• Hepatitis Awareness Campaign
  
• Campus Health Ambassadors Programme
  
• Student Mental Health Enhancement Programme
  
• “Healthy Campus, Prosperous Life” Talk Series
  
• First Aid Training Course

Please visit the UHS website for more details.

May I take this opportunity to wish you all good health and a fruitful new academic year.

Professor Jack Cheng
Chairman
Committee on Health Promotion and Protection

Chairman's Announcement (26 Jul 2007)

Students and staff when engaged in outdoor activities are advised to take protective measures to prevent heatstroke and sunburn during hot and humid weather. Heat stroke is an emergency that can be fatal if not promptly treated. Our body usually dissipates heat by radiation of heat through skin or evaporation of sweat. In extreme heat with high humidity or vigorous exertion under the sun, the body may not be able to dissipate the heat. Also, dehydrated person may not be able to sweat fast enough to dispel heat and cause the body temperature to rise.

Chairman's Announcement (25 Jun 2007)

The hot weather and wet season leads to favourable mosquito breeding. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department revealed on 21 June 2007 that the monthly average ovitrap index for May had risen to 15.1%, from 7.6% in April 2007. All the 38 areas surveyed last month recorded positive ovitrap indices, ranging from 2% to 31.5%.12 areas had their readings fallen into the alert zone of 20% to 40%.

The ovitrap indices help to monitor the breeding of Aedes albopictus, a mosquito vector for dengue fever transmission. The Government reminds us to maintain proper anti-mosquito measures to enhance environmental hygiene conditions and to eliminate existing and potential mosquito-breeding grounds, keeping the drains free from blockages and preventing accumulation of water.

We need to stay alert to the risk of mosquito-transmitted diseases and to take the following precautionary measures when visiting areas in Southeast Asia affected by mosquito-borne diseases during the summer holidays:

• Wear light-coloured, long-sleeved clothes and long trousers;
  
• Use insect repellent on exposed parts of the body when going out; and
  
• Use mosquito screens or nets when the room is not air-conditioned.

The University Safety and Environment Office continues to monitor the situation in our campus and keeps in close liaison with the Estate Management Office in the anti-mosquito procedures. In particular, the construction sites in the University have been under constant surveillance.

Estates Management Office (EMO) has installed anti-mosquitoes devices on campus and schedules are in place to spray insecticide by EMO to prepare for the new school term. Joint efforts by EMO and Security Office are also made in anti-mosquito arrangement by providing repellent accordingly.

Work is in progress for ventilation in high turnover lavatories. A total of 381 lavatories in academic buildings have been upgraded by EMO with hygiene equipments such as: hand dryers; ventilation fans; exhaust fans; auto tap and motion sensors. The University Safety and Environment Office continues to monitor the effectiveness and stock of masks and disinfectant on campus.

Proper hygiene and safety measures, guidelines and non-Smoking campus are to be enforced by hostels, Colleges, Office of Student Affairs, Office of Academic Links and different units on campus.

Staff and students are advised to seek medical advice and inform the doctor of their travel history if you have symptoms including high fever, severe headache or muscle and joint pain when coming back from these areas.

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health has also reminded the public to maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene to prevent upper respiratory tract infection, in view of outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infection in a pre-school centre for children with intellectual disability and of an influenza-like illness in a kindergarten.

To prevent upper respiratory tract infection and influenza, please take note of the following measures:

• To build up good body immunity by having a proper diet, regular exercise and adequate rest, reducing stress and avoiding smoking;
• To maintain good personal hygiene, and wash hands after sneezing, coughing and wear a mask when developing symptoms of respiratory infections;
  
• To maintain good ventilation; and
  To avoid visiting crowded places with poor ventilation, especially during peak influenza season.

Information and health advice on dengue fever and influenza is available from the CHP's website (http://www.chp.gov.hk).

Chairman's Announcement (28 May 2007)

China's Ministry of Health confirmed a human case of bird flu last week.  A 19-year-old soldier in the People's Liberation Army is now receiving treatment at an army hospital.  Tests by the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention on May 18 showed he was infected with H5N1 bird flu virus.

China has reported a total of 25 human bird flu cases since 2003, with 15 deaths.  Bird flu H5N1 virus continues to spread in Asian countries including Vietnam and Pakistan last week, with hundreds of flocks being slaughtered.  Staff and students are reminded to stay away from chickens and eat only thoroughly cooked eggs and poultry when travelling abroad.

Chairman's Announcement (10 May 2007)

First-Aid Courses for Staff

The University Health Service and the University Safety Office will jointly organize two 5-day First-Aid classes for staff in June and July this year. The successful participants will be awarded a First-Aid Certificate which is valid for three years as qualified first-aider and they will have to serve as first-aider in the campus. The course is free-of-charge (including course fee, books and other training materials). Staff has to be nominated by the department head. For details, please refer to http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/uhs/news/memo_firstaid2007.html.

A two-day Refresher First-Aid course in July and August will be organized for staff with a First-Aid Certificate and whose certificate will be expired in the next few months. Nomination by department is also required. For details, please refer to http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/uhs/news/memo_refresher2007.html.

Chairman's Announcement (27 March 2007)

A human bird flu was reported on 18 March 2007 in Egypt, bringing 27 human cases in the country.  The patient is a three-year-old girl who had contact with infected poultry and developed fever and flu symptoms. She is in stable condition after the antiviral drug.  H5N1 continues to attack the poultry in Vietnam, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.  Preventive measures were carried out accordingly.

Locally, H9N2 virus was found from a nine-month-old girl who developed respiratory infection. She is currently in stable condition and readmitted to PMH for observation.  Investigation is conducted to determine the source of infection.

Up to now, the WHO has confirmed 281 human avian flu cases with 169 deaths.  Avian Flu is transmitted from infected live birds/poultry.  Staff and students are reminded to avoid contact with live birds/poultry and their droppings.  Eat only well cooked poultry and eggs. The best protection is by building good body resistance by healthy life style, exercise and balanced diet.  Let your doctor know your travel history if you have symptoms after the trip.

Chairman's Announcement (20 March 2007)

Launching Ceremony of Walking Campaign

To encourage walking on campus, the University's Campus Development Office and Estates Management Office designed a pedestrian trail which is both scenic and convenient.  The trail serves as a green option for school bus commuters where school bus is the primary means of transport on campus.

A Launching Ceremony was held on 16th March 2007 to introduce the walking trail to staff and students, and to arouse awareness of the importance of daily exercise.  The Launching Ceremony was officiated by Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof. Jack Cheng, Dean of Medicine Prof. T. F. Fok and the esteemed Emeritus Professor of Community Medicine Prof. S. H. Lee.  More than 400 staff and students joined this event which was very encouraging.  Participants were given souvenirs including a pedometer for tracking steps, a green T-shirt, bottled water as well as a turning wheel with information of walking and calories burned.  Finally, healthy refreshments were provided at the end point in the New Asia Concourse for all participants.

Feedback from participants was very positive and they all found it both convenient and pleasurable walking along this pedestrian trail.  Walking is suitable for people of all ages.  It is easy and healthy.  Let’s make it an enjoyable part of our life.

Link: Highlights of the Walking Campaign, 16 March 2007

Chairman's Announcement (13 February 2007)

In the last two weeks, there were fatal human cases of avian flu in Indonesia, Egypt and Nigeria. A woman died on 11 Feb 2007, making Indonesia's overall toll to 64 fatalities, the highest nation in the world. So far, there are 272 human cases with 166 fatal. Most of them are proved to have close contact with either infected birds or family members.

Bird Flu continues to hit the farms in Asia, Africa and Europe. As precautionary measure, one should check out the traveling guidelines (http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/health_promote_protect/guidelines_for_travel.html) on what to do before going on and after returning from trips, especially to countries affected by bird flu. More travel tips can also be found at www.travelhealth.gov.hk/

May I take this opportunity to wish you a prosperous and healthy Year of the Pig.

Chairman's Announcement (2 February 2007)

Talk “Smoking and You (吸煙全面睇)”

Under the Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2005 effective from 1 January, smoking is prohibited in the entire university campus (including indoor and outdoor areas), with the exception of limited staff quarters.  To publicize the No Smoking message across to the university community, and to encourage smokers to quit smoking, a series of talks “Smoking and You (吸煙全面睇)” has been arranged as follows:

Details can be viewed at www.cuhk.edu.hk/uhs/news/nosmoking.html

On-line Registration: http://perntc.per.cuhk.edu.hk/personnel/crsreg/crslist.asp

Walking for Health

To encourage walking on our beautiful campus, the Campus Development Office and Estates Management Office have designed a pedestrian trail which is both scenic and convenient (http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/greencampus/en/letsgo/walking.pdf).  The pedestrian trail spans through beautiful spots of Chung Chi College, University Mall to Cheng Ming Building of New Asia College.  A launching ceremony will be held on 16 March 2007 at 10:30am at the entrance of the KCR University Station.  All staff and students are encouraged to join the ceremony and start this good practice.

Chairman's Announcement (23 January 2007)

This month, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has tested more than 1,000 birds and five dead birds had H5N1 virus which indicated that the disease remains a threat in the community.  A government inter-departmental meeting was held yesterday to monitor the trend of the H5N1 within our bird population to ensure it would not be in contact with human or poultry.

The latest human case of avian influenza infection was reported in Indonesia on Jan 12, 2007.  The patient, a 22 year-old woman, developed symptoms on Jan 3 and remains in hospital.  Investigation found that she had exposure to dead chickens prior to symptom onset.  Another confirmed case was reported in Anhui Province, China.  The patient was discharged on Jan 6.  Information on possible exposure to diseased birds is not presently available, but investigation is under way.  Staff and students are reminded to stay away from wild birds and poultry.  Eat only thoroughly cooked eggs and poultry.  Report to the Security Unit (Tel: 2609 7999) when dead bird is found in the campus.

Up to the present, global statistics of human avian influenza are 267 with 161 fatal cases.