The Centre for Health Protection is monitoring an acute respiratory illness outbreak in the Ukraine, advising travellers to the country to observe personal protective measures. Those who fall ill after returning from there should seek medical care.

According to the World Health Organisation, preliminary laboratory reports showed the acute respiratory illness epidemic is mainly related to human swine flu.

So far no unusual flu trends have been detected in Hong Kong. The centre has been closely communicating with the WHO and the sensitive laboratory surveillance system in Hong Kong can detect unusual strains of influenza viruses.

A multi-disciplinary team from the WHO and related bodies have been sent to the Ukraine to investigate the outbreak.