21 July 2003
Dear Doctor,
In view of the endemicity of Japanese Encephalitis (JE) in some neighboring areas of Hong Kong, the Department of Health (DH) has stepped up surveillance of viral encephalitis with public and private hospitals. According to information from a media release by the Health Department of Guangdong Province, as at June 27, there were 296 reported cases of JE in 2003, including 25 deaths, in the Province. While the majority of these cases were reported in May and June, the peak season is expected to occur during July to September based on historical data.
To promote awareness of JE in the medical community, I attach an information sheet on JE for your easy reference. If you encounter cases of JE, whether suspected or confirmed, please report to the respective Regional Office of the DH. The telephone and fax number of the Regional Offices are listed below:
Regional Office
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Fax No.
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Tel. No.
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Hong Kong | 2572 7582 | 2961 8729 |
Kowloon | 2375 8451 | 2199 9149 |
New Territories East | 2699 7691 | 2158 5107 |
New Territories West | 2439 9622 | 2615 8571 |
During weekends, public holidays or after office hours, urgent report can be made to the duty Medical Control Officer of the DH (Tel. No.: 7116 3300 call 9179).
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