CHP urges maintaining hygiene amid 11 acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in care homes and schools last week

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) on Thursday urged strict hygiene practices as acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in residential care homes and schools surged to 11 cases last week, affecting 86 people.

Controller of the CHP, Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, said monitoring data shows a steady increase in outbreaks over recent weeks. In the first two weeks of January, there were 3 outbreaks involving 18 people and 7 outbreaks involving 46 people. 

Last week recorded 11 outbreaks affecting 86 individuals. In the first four days of this week, 3 outbreaks involving 23 people were already reported.

Sentinel surveillance from family medicine clinics, private practitioners, and early childhood/kindergarten settings also indicates a rising trend in acute gastroenteritis cases.

The CHP will send letters to doctors, residential care homes, schools, kindergartens and child care centres outlining the current situation and reminding them to follow communicable disease prevention guidelines and report outbreaks promptly for rapid follow-up.

Tsui stressed that while outbreaks can occur year-round, they are more common in winter. Maintaining personal, environmental and food hygiene is essential to reduce infection risk.

Acute gastroenteritis is often caused by viruses, with norovirus the most frequent culprit. Highly contagious, it spreads via contaminated food, contact with vomit or faeces from infected persons, or touching contaminated surfaces, potentially leading to large outbreaks. 

Vomiting in poorly ventilated enclosed spaces heightens risk, so immediate and thorough cleaning and disinfection of affected areas is critical.