Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=75171&sid=21705175&con_type=1
Experts believe city is ready for looming pandemic threat
Paul Mozur
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
There is a one in 10 chance Hong Kong will be hit by an influenza epidemic in the next decade, according to experts.
But the good news is the city is ready to face such a threat.
Speaking at a symposium on pandemic influenza yesterday, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology economics professor Francis Lui Ting- ming said the city is especially susceptible because of its dense population and the large number of visitors who arrive by air annually.
The World Health Organization has also warned the planet is overdue for such an outbreak.
It said pandemics occur every 10 to 50 years and it has been 40 years since the last one.
A new outbreak may affect approximately 25 percent of the global population.
AmCham Health & Wellness Committee chairman Steve Paine said Hong Kong is better prepared than most owing to the experience it gained during the SARS epidemic.
He said 15 percent of Hong Kong corporations have business continuity plans to address pandemics and a further 50 percent are in the process of developing one.
He called on businesses to stockpile antiviral drugs, increase communication with the government and raise awareness among employees.
Apart from the obvious human cost of an outbreak, the experts stressed the economic and security implications of a pandemic may be devastating.
A World Bank study estimated a pandemic could lead to US$3 trillion (HK$23.4 trillion) in economic losses, making the current financial tsunami look slight.
Lui said the government could cover about 30 percent of residents with antiviral drugs. In comparison, worldwide coverage sits at 15 percent. Although that number has to be improved, he said it is unlikely it will be accomplished soon.
"These drugs cost quite a bit of money and it may be impossible for all governments to constantly fund these programs," he said.
An outbreak, according to Lui would wreak havoc on transportation and health services.
Experts believe city is ready for looming pandemic threat
Paul Mozur
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
There is a one in 10 chance Hong Kong will be hit by an influenza epidemic in the next decade, according to experts.
But the good news is the city is ready to face such a threat.
Speaking at a symposium on pandemic influenza yesterday, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology economics professor Francis Lui Ting- ming said the city is especially susceptible because of its dense population and the large number of visitors who arrive by air annually.
The World Health Organization has also warned the planet is overdue for such an outbreak.
It said pandemics occur every 10 to 50 years and it has been 40 years since the last one.
A new outbreak may affect approximately 25 percent of the global population.
AmCham Health & Wellness Committee chairman Steve Paine said Hong Kong is better prepared than most owing to the experience it gained during the SARS epidemic.
He said 15 percent of Hong Kong corporations have business continuity plans to address pandemics and a further 50 percent are in the process of developing one.
He called on businesses to stockpile antiviral drugs, increase communication with the government and raise awareness among employees.
Apart from the obvious human cost of an outbreak, the experts stressed the economic and security implications of a pandemic may be devastating.
A World Bank study estimated a pandemic could lead to US$3 trillion (HK$23.4 trillion) in economic losses, making the current financial tsunami look slight.
Lui said the government could cover about 30 percent of residents with antiviral drugs. In comparison, worldwide coverage sits at 15 percent. Although that number has to be improved, he said it is unlikely it will be accomplished soon.
"These drugs cost quite a bit of money and it may be impossible for all governments to constantly fund these programs," he said.
An outbreak, according to Lui would wreak havoc on transportation and health services.