Hong Kong task force to look into gastroenteritis cases on mainland study trips

Hong Kong authorities have set up a task force to respond to a recent gastroenteritis outbreak among pupils who took part in exchange tours to mainland China, the education minister has said, promising to enhance safety protocols and implement preventive measures against infectious diseases.

Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin made the latest move after the number of acute gastroenteritis cases in the past few weeks reached at least 92, involving seven schools on different trips to Huangshan in Anhui province in February and Shaoguan in Guangdong province this month.

Choi said on Thursday the Education Bureau regarded the outbreak as serious and had held a special meeting with representatives from various organising parties to request they take all necessary measures to ensure the pupils’ safety.

“Although preliminary investigations did not provide evidence linking the gastrointestinal symptoms to the dietary arrangements made by the tour groups, there is a high likelihood that the infection was transmitted through interpersonal contact among group members or exposure to the vomit of affected people,” Choi said in a social media post.

“The Education Bureau has established a dedicated task force for pupils visiting the mainland to maintain close communication with various mainland departments and units, promptly optimising the arrangements for tour activities.”

She also urged schools to prioritise student safety during exchange tours, implement preventive measures by the Centre for Health Protection and stay informed about global epidemiology developments, especially regarding this year’s increased norovirus activity.