VZCZCXRO5951
PP RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHHK #1652 2441108
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 011108Z SEP 09
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8440
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS HONG KONG 001652 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/CM, CA/OCS/EP, OES/IHA, HHS FOR OGHA, CDC 
ATLANTA FOR CCID AND COUGH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT CASC CH HK KFLO KFLU
SUBJECT: H1N1 FORCES MORE SCHOOL CLOSURES. HK MOVING 
TOWARDS TREATMENT-BASED APPROACH 
 
REF: A. HONG KONG 935 
     ¶B. HONG KONG 1065 
     ¶C. HONG KONG 1371 
     ¶D. HONG KONG 1567 
 
¶1. Hong Kong health authorities instructed Hong Kong 
International School (HKIS),s Primary School division to 
close for seven days, due to increased student absences for 
influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms.  Although HKIS Primary 
School officials told U.S. Consulate staff that there have 
been over 100 student absences, Hong Kong health authorities 
officially announced 65 children, aged between four and 10, 
developed ILI symptoms since August 19. Four students were 
confirmed infected with H1N1 and one has been hospitalized. 
This closure follows HKIS Middle school,s closure last week. 
 Consulate General Hong Kong currently has 77 EFM students 
enrolled in schools in Hong Kong, of which 17 attend HKIS 
Middle School and 34 attend HKIS Primary Schools. 
 
¶2. Separately, Ying Wa College in Sham Shui Po was also 
closed after 21 boys, aged 11 and 13, developed ILI symptoms 
since August 23.  No students have required hospitalization. 
The school was advised to postpone commencement of the 
academic year by seven days.  All Hong Kong public schools 
were back in session this week.  Health authorities 
anticipate as many as 100 schools will be hit by H1N1 
outbreaks as the flu peaks. These school closures follow the 
new guidance published on August 24 by the Hong Kong 
Educational Bureau that states that schools should monitor 
the situation carefully, consult with health authorities, and 
take into account factors including number of confirmed 
infections and absentee rate of students from school. 
 
¶3. As of September 1, H1N1 cases in Hong Kong have risen to a 
total of 12,135. A total of six deaths have been reported. 
The latest involved a 65 year old man who went to the 
hospital due to shortness of breath, fever, and cough.  He 
also had a history of asthma, pneumonia, and heart disease. 
 
¶4. Hong Kong health authorities have set up eight designated 
flu clinics (DFC) and have made repeated appeals to the 
public to not use emergency departments of public hospitals 
for ILI symptoms.   Press reports that DFCs and emergency 
rooms have been flooded with patients with ILI symptoms, 
putting a strain on the healthcare system.  As a result, a 
new treatment plan is under consideration, whereby the Hong 
Kong Hospital Authority will stop testing patients for H1N1, 
unless they do not respond to antivirals or need hospital 
care.  Under this plan, H1N1 flu patients with mild symptoms 
will not be tested, reducing the number of laboratory tests 
from 2,000 a day to 1,000 in order to relieve the burden on 
Hong Kong government labs and staff.  Even high risk 
patients, including young children, the elderly, and the 
chronically ill, as outpatients will no longer be tested for 
H1N1 unless their conditions show no signs of improvement. 
Instead, patients will be given Tamiflu and asked to rest at 
home.  All inpatients with ILI symptoms will continue to be 
tested.  In addition, as it moves towards a treatment-based 
approach, Hong Kong health officials say that Hong Kong will 
soon stop daily reporting of te number of H1N1 cases. 
MARUT