Instant action: Cleaning workers participate in a drill in Lei Yue Mun Estate to enhance their alertness and preparedness in dealing with any possible SARS resurgence.

A drill has been conducted in Lei Yue Mun Estate to enhance the alertness and preparedness of Housing Department staff in dealing with any possible SARS resurgence.

Inspecting today's drill, Permanent Secretary for Housing, Planning & Lands Leung Chin-man said the department will stay vigilant against the virus.

He said it is committed to keeping the estate clean through the implementation of the Marking Scheme and he called on tenants to support cleanliness efforts.

The drill is designed to test the application of the department's contingency plan for a SARS outbreak, compiled last month in response to an earlier recommendation by the Health, Welfare & Food Bureau. It sets out clear operational guidelines for staff under a three-level response system.

In the exercise, a tenant of Lei Yue Mun Estate was confirmed to have SARS, activating Level 2 of the contingency plan.

A special cleansing team disinfected the concerned flat while officers inspected its drainage system and vent pipe. Cleaning work was also carried out in other communal facilities like lift lobbies and lifts. About 30 staff and cleansing workers participated.

In the wake of the confirmed SARS cases in Guangzhou, the department has taken immediate action to strengthen cleansing and disinfecting efforts in housing estates and commercial centres, Mr Leung said.

Meanwhile, the department will continue to deter hygiene-related misdeeds through the Marking Scheme. Since August, more than 1,260 tenants have garnered points for misdeeds like littering and spitting.