The role of the hotel industry in the response to emerging epidemics: a case study of SARS in 2003 and H1N1 swine flu in 2009 in Hong Kong
- PMID: 30482214
- PMCID: PMC6260697
- DOI: 10.1186/s12992-018-0438-6
The role of the hotel industry in the response to emerging epidemics: a case study of SARS in 2003 and H1N1 swine flu in 2009 in Hong Kong
Abstract
Background: The global travel and tourism industry has been rapidly expanding in the past decades. The traditional focus on border screening, and by airline and cruise industries may be inadequate due to the incubation period of an infectious disease. This case study highlights the potential role of the hotel industry in epidemic preparedness and response.
Methods: This case study focuses on the epidemic outbreaks of SARS in 2003 and H1N1 swine flu in 2009 in Hong Kong, and the subsequent guidelines published by the health authority in relation to the hotel industry in Hong Kong which provide the backbone for discussion.
Results: The Metropole Hotel hastened the international spread of the 2003 SARS outbreak by the index case infecting visitors from Singapore, Vietnam, Canada as well as local people via close contact with the index case and the environmental contamination. The one-week quarantine of more than 300 guests and staff at the Metropark Hotel during the 2009 H1N1 swine flu exposed gaps in the partnership with the hotel industry. The subsequent guidelines for the hotel industry from the Centre of Health Protection focused largely on the maintenance of hygiene within the hotel premises.
Conclusion: Positive collaborations may bring about effective preparedness across the health and the tourism sectors for future epidemics. Regular hygiene surveillance at hotel facilities, and developing coordination mechanism for impending epidemics on the use of screening, swift reporting and isolation of infected persons may help mitigate the impact of future events. Preparedness and contingency plans for infectious disease control for the hotel industry requires continuous engagement and dialogue.
Keywords: Epidemics; Health-related emergency disaster risk management; Hotel industry; Infection control; International travel; Private sector engagement; Quarantine; Tourism.
Conflict of interest statement
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Similar articles
-
From SARS to Avian Influenza Preparedness in Hong Kong.Clin Infect Dis. 2017 May 15;64(suppl_2):S98-S104. doi: 10.1093/cid/cix123. Clin Infect Dis. 2017. PMID: 28475794
-
Controlling epidemic viral infection.Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2011 Apr;24(2):130-6. doi: 10.1097/QCO.0b013e328343b720. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2011. PMID: 21252658 Review.
-
Influenza and SARS: the impact of viral pandemics on maritime health.Int Marit Health. 2011;62(3):170-5. Int Marit Health. 2011. PMID: 22258842
-
Avian influenza: risk, preparedness and the roles of public health nurses in Hong Kong.Nurs Inq. 2006 Mar;13(1):2-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1800.2006.00301.x. Nurs Inq. 2006. PMID: 16494661 Review.
-
10 Years on, the world still learns from SARS.Lancet Infect Dis. 2013 May;13(5):394-5. doi: 10.1016/s1473-3099(13)70116-6. Lancet Infect Dis. 2013. PMID: 23755396 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
Cited by
-
Using the theory of planned behaviour to explain hand hygiene among nurses in Hong Kong during COVID-19.J Hosp Infect. 2022 May;123:119-125. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2022.01.018. Epub 2022 Feb 3. J Hosp Infect. 2022. PMID: 35124145 Free PMC article.
-
Facilities for Centralized Isolation and Quarantine for the Observation and Treatment of Patients with COVID-19.Engineering (Beijing). 2021 Jul;7(7):908-913. doi: 10.1016/j.eng.2021.03.010. Epub 2021 Apr 22. Engineering (Beijing). 2021. PMID: 33903828 Free PMC article.
-
Mechanisms of recurrent outbreak of COVID-19: a model-based study.Nonlinear Dyn. 2021;106(2):1169-1185. doi: 10.1007/s11071-021-06371-w. Epub 2021 Mar 18. Nonlinear Dyn. 2021. PMID: 33758464 Free PMC article.
-
The impact of COVID-19 on cultural industries: An empirical research based on stock market returns.Front Public Health. 2022 Sep 16;10:806045. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.806045. eCollection 2022. Front Public Health. 2022. PMID: 36187644 Free PMC article.
-
Contagious diseases and tourism: a systematic review based on bibliometric and content analysis methods.Qual Quant. 2022;56(5):3085-3110. doi: 10.1007/s11135-021-01270-z. Epub 2021 Oct 20. Qual Quant. 2022. PMID: 34697508 Free PMC article.
References
-
- The World Bank. International tourism, number of arrivals. Available from: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ST.INT.ARVL?view=map. Accessed 29 May 2018.
-
- World Health Organization. International Health Regulations. 2005. Available at: http://www.who.int/ihr/publications/9789241580496/en/. Accessed 29 May 2018.
-
- World Health Organization. International travel and health. Available at: http://who.int/ith/ITH_EN_2012_WEB_1.2.pdf?ua=1. Accessed 29 May 2018.
-
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Travel Industry Resources. Available at: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/travel-industry-information-center. Accessed 29 May 2018.
-
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Facts about severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Available at: https://ecdc.europa.eu/en/severe-acute-respiratory-syndrome/facts. Accessed 1 Nov 2018.
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
Miscellaneous