HONG KONG: Hong Kong authorities have tightened health screening measures at the airport for all flights arriving from African transit hubs as they prepare for potential risks linked to an unidentified disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.
According to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), the outbreak in Congo has resulted in at least 79 deaths and over 300 infections since late October.
The SCMP noted that symptoms reported by Congolese health officials include fever, headache, runny nose, cough, breathing difficulties, and anaemia, primarily affecting individuals over the age of 15.
The CHP said it had contacted the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and Congolese health authorities for more information about the outbreak, according to the SCMP.
While there are no direct flights between Congo and Hong Kong, the CHP said travellers often reach the city through African transit hubs, such as Johannesburg in South Africa and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.
It was reported that as a precautionary measure, the CHP has immediately stepped up health screenings at the airport for passengers on all flights arriving in Hong Kong from the transit hubs.
Travellers on these flights will undergo temperature checks, and those showing symptoms will be assessed by medical personnel and referred to hospitals for examination if necessary.
The CHP advised travellers to maintain vigilant personal and environmental hygiene, avoid crowded areas and contact with sick individuals, and seek immediate medical attention if they feel unwell after returning to Hong Kong.
