All 18 District Councils will each receive at least $500,000 to enhance their guard against swine flu, Secretary for Food & Health Dr York Chow announced today.

The announcement came after the World Health Organisation raised the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to 5.

Dr Chow said once the WHO alert is raised to phase 6, or Hong Kong has a confirmed case, the city's response level will be immediately be raised from "serious" to "emergency".

The steering committee regarding pandemic preparedness met this morning, before Dr Chow met the 18 District Council chairmen.

Cleaning work enhanced

After the meeting, he told reporters that the $10 million in funding should help the community step up cleaning work and carry out personal and public hygiene education.

"We are ready to raise our response level any time. We are doing our best preparation and are prepared for the worst," said Dr Chow.

"The Hospital Authority is ready to receive the first swine flu patient. We have also issued guidelines to the private sector and urged private doctors to send any suspected case to the public hospitals.

"Department of Health officials will meet the Shenzhen authority to discuss the enhancement of border control."

All in-bound passengers at the airport are required to complete health declaration forms while help  stations  will be set up at all land border check points to provide medical assistance starting tomorrow.

HK stands ready

Visiting the Princess Margaret Hospital's Infectious Disease Centre, Chief Executive Donald Tsang said as the virus continues to spread across the globe, Hong Kong stands ready for the arrival of the first confirmed case of infection any time.

"In the days ahead, the Government will remain on high alert, and so must every member of the public. In our fight against the virus, each and every one of us has a vital role to play in paying extra attention to personal and public hygiene."

The Centre for Health Protection has also set up a 24-hour hotline - 2125 1111 - to field questions from people who developed flu-like symptoms and who had travelled to human swine-flu affected areas during the seven-day period before they started feeling unwell.

Resources allocation

The Social Welfare Department has written to welfare service units on the allocation of $10 million for stepping up cleanliness and precautionary measures against human swine influenza.

The grant will cover over 3,000 welfare service units, including residential care homes for the elderly and the disabled, day care centres for the elderly, child care centres, and integrated children and youth services centres.

Each welfare service unit will receive materials, or $3,000 for the purpose of purchasing cleansing and disinfectant items.

The department will inform welfare service units of implementation details early next week for allocation of resources.