An inter-departmental exercise on the handling of human avian flu will be conducted in Hong Kong on Wednesday, the government said on Tuesday.

The Center for Health Protection (CHP) of Hong Kong's Department of Health will take charge of the exercise, codenamed Cypress, with the participation of other government departments including Health, Welfare and Food Bureau and Fire Services Department.

Hong Kong Hospital Authority will also be involved in the one-day exercise that aims to review Hong Kong's preparedness in case of human cases of avian flu. Over 100 players will take part in it.

According to a CHP spokesman, the exercise would focus on frontline issues, such as the handling of patients in public hospitals and contact tracing by CHP's Surveillance and Epidemiology Branch, in the event of human cases of avian influenza.

He added that the exercise would provide an opportunity for the parties concerned to put into practice their respective preparedness plans for combating communicable diseases.

"We hope that the procedures laid down in these preparedness plans will be reviewed during the exercise," the spokesman said. "Shortcomings identified could be fine-tuned to better prepare Hong Kong to deal with the disease."
 
(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2006)