The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (June 20) urged members of the public to maintain vigilance against scarlet fever as the number of reported cases remains at a high level.

So far, there have been six institutional outbreaks in 2011, involving three kindergartens/child care centres, two primary schools and one residential special child care centre. A total of 22 persons were affected.

Scarlet fever is caused by Group A Streptococcus bacteria and can be cured with appropriate antibiotics. This disease usually affects children under 10 years of age and presents as fever, sore throat and rash. The rash appears over the trunk and neck and spreads to the limbs, especially the armpits, elbows and groin. The illness is usually clinically mild but can be complicated by shock and heart and kidney diseases. Scarlet fever is transmitted through either the respiratory route or direct contact with infected respiratory secretions. People who are suspected to have scarlet fever should consult their doctors.

To prevent infection, members of the public are advised to:

• maintain good personal and environmental hygiene;
• keep hands clean and wash hands properly;
• wash hands when they are dirtied by respiratory secretions, e.g. after sneezing;
• cover the nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing and dispose of nasal and mouth discharge properly; and
• maintain good ventilation.

Monday, June 20, 2011 Issued at HKT 18:35

Source:

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health

www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/23359.html

Two VCDs that are recorded in Bahasa Indonesia, Hindi, Nepali, Punjabi, Tagalog, Thai and Urdu languages were produced as part of CHEER’s dedication to help the ethnic minority (EM) service users in knowing how to use CHEER’s interpretation and translation services properly especially our one of a kind Telephone Interpretation Service (TELIS).

Three episodes recorded in the VCDs featuring three different interpretation services that CHEER offers:

1. TELIS. It is the most convenient interpretation service offered in Hong Kong and it is free of charge.  It is easy to use by simply dialing the interpretation hotline numbers and once connected; our interpreters are there to provide interpreting service.  This service will not only save the time but also will save users’ transportation money. 

2. On-site (Escort) Interpretation Service (EIS) which facilitate face-to-face communication between service users and service providers in the presence of CHEER’s interpreters and;

3. On-sight Interpretation Service (OSIS).  This service is for service users who received letters written in English which they cannot understand.  The users can visit the centre during drop-in hours in which CHEER’s interpreter can provide a verbal explanation of the content of the documents in the users’ native languages. 

It is hope that EM users could get access of our interpretation services thus facilitate their access to other public services such as social welfare, housing and employment etc. Thus, this VCD was produced for the good of all the EM living in Hong Kong as well as all public service providers serving them.

Copies of the VCDs are available from CHEER.  To obtain a copy or to find out more about our interpretation and translation services, please call 3106 3104 or email to cheer@hkcs.org for Ms. Chan.

Program Application form-GCSE course

Have you or your friends ever think that leaving your kids alone at home is ok because:

• I need to go to work and no one could help for taking care of my child
• I am just going out quickly for few minutes to buy things
• My kid is sleeping and he/she will not wake up when I am out
• I had left him/her home alone before and nothing had happened
• My kid is a good kid and he/she can take care of himself/herself

Statistics showed that 993 child abuse cases were reported during January to December 2009 in which 102 cases involving children being neglected or being left unattended at home.  Leaving children unattended at home is very dangerous. Many children were reported getting injured from fire, fallen from heights or even killed by accidents due to parents and guardians’ ignorance.

According to the Offence Against The Person Ordinance (Cap 212) section 26, “Exposing child whereby life is endangered” and section 27, “Treatment and Neglect by Those in Charge of Child and Young Person”, leaving children unattended at home and neglecting the welfare of children are forms of child abuse. Parents and guardians may face criminal liability arising from negligence in care of up to 10 years imprisonment.

Don’t put your kids’ lives in danger; don’t leave them unattended at home.

If you are in need of childcare services, please contact the childcare centers subsidized by the Social Welfare Department. Details can be found at:

http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_family/sub_listofserv/id_childcares/

Reference: http://www.swd.gov.hk/vs/english/stat.html

Outreach is one of the working strategies that CHEER applies to enhance ethnic minority groups’ awareness on services available at CHEER as well as in Hong Kong. To establish close contacts with various ethnic minority groups, we go to places of worships, schools, public housing estates, and places where many ethnic minority communities would gather and socialize. Pre-arranged programmes and activities are organized or we simply set up information booth and distribute useful information.

In the process, we are able to talk to people directly, identify their needs, and learn more about their community profile so that we can provide more appropriate services for them. Due to the efforts, more ethnic minorities had joined CHEER and are now enjoying a wide-variety of programmes.