Hong Kong

MAIN HEALTH RISKS

• In relation to China's "melamine milk scandal", four children have been hospitalized for kidney problems caused by the ingestion of contaminated milk. As a consequence, dairy products manufactured in China have been forbidden or recalled.
• There have been rare cholera outbreaks in local food stalls, but the risk is taken care of: health authorities food premises every two months for E. coli and twice a year for cholera.
• The majority of dengue fever cases are imported, but indigenous transmission occurs regularly (a couple dozens cases yearly).
• An upsurge of hand-foot-mouth disease has been observed in March 2008, caused mainly by the transmission of enterovirus 71 (EV71). Most-hardly hit provinces are Guangdong, Zhejiang, Hebei, Shandong and Hunan.
• Hong Kong is highly polluted, which may prove problematic for travellers with respiratory problems; consult your physician before leaving.
• There are cases of hepatitis A.
• Hong Kong has a high incidence of tuberculosis.
• Diarrheic diseases are frequent.

FOOD SAFETY

• Gastric diseases are common among tourists who are not accustomed to local food or who do not take precautions.
• Do not drink tap water and favor bottled mineral water, without ice; avoid eating ice cream and sherbet.
• Avoid eating raw or undercooked dishes, especially meat or fish. If possible, order hot dishes.
• Bring anti-diarrhea medication with you.
• Wash your hands carefully before each meal.

IMMUNIZATIONS AND MEDICATION

• No specific immunization is required from travelers entering the country.
Systematically:
• Hepatitis A: the vaccination is available for children at least one year old. For persons who were born before 1945, who have spent their childhood in a developing country or who have had an icterus, it may prove useful to search previously for serous antibodies in order to avoid an unnecessary shot.
• Hepatitis B: the vaccination is available for children at least two months old.
• Diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis: get a booster shot before leaving if your last shot is more than ten years old.



Depending on the duration and conditions of the trip:
• Typhoid fever: if the stay is occurring in precarious hygiene condition. The immunization is available for children at least 2 years old.
• Japanese encephalitis: for stays longer than a month in rural areas during the rain season. The immunization is available for children at least one year old.
• Tuberculosis: in case of a long stay, it is recommended to have children immunized against tuberculosis as soon as they reach the age of one month, and against mumps, measles and rubella when they reach the age of nine months.

HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURES

• Canossa Hospital, 1 Old Peak Road: phone + 852 2825 2188, fax + 852 2840 1986
• Grantham Hospital, 125 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen: phone + 852 2518 2111, fax + 852 2554 2011
• Hong Kong Central Hospital, 1B Lower Albert Road, Central: phone + 852 2867 3141, fax + 852 2501 5262
• Matilda International Hospital, 41 Mount Kellett Road, The Peak: phone + 852 2849 0111, fax + 852 2849 7411
• St. Paul's Hospital, 2 Eastern Hospital Road, Causeway Bay: phone + 852 2890 6008, fax + 852 2576 4558
• St. Teresa's Hospital, 327 Prince Edward Road, Kowloon: phone + 852 2711 9111, fax + 852 2711 9779
• Union Hospital Polyclinic, Shop No. 210 Level 2, Metro City Plaza III, Tseung Kwan O: phone + 852 2721 0100, fax + 852 3194 6247

EMERGENCY CONTACTS

• Emergencies: 999

CLIMATE

• The climate is dominated by seasonal monsoon winds that bring rainy conditions May through September.
• In the winter, days are mild and evening are chilly but temperatures are never freezing.
• Summers are hot, humid and rainy, especially July and August (typhoon season).
• When to go: between March and May or in October-November.