Hong Kong's all 18 District Councils will receive altogether 10 million HK dollars (about US$1.29) from the local government to enhance their guard against H1N1 influenza epidemic, Secretary for Food and Health York Chow announced on Thursday.

After meeting with the 18 District Council chairmen on Thursday morning, Chow told reporters that each of the district council will receive at least 500,000 HK dollars for stepping up cleaning work and carrying out personal and public hygiene education.

Chow said the World Health Organization raised the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 4 to 5, and once the 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 Hospital Authority is ready to receive the first H1N1 influenza epidemic patient. We have also issued guidelines to the private sector and urged private doctors to send any suspected case to the public hospitals," he said.

Hong Kong's Department of Health officials will meet the Shenzhen authority to discuss the enhancement of border control, he added.

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2009)