Press Release

 

 

Health advice as cholera case reported

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The Department of Health (DH) today (Thursday) urged members of the public to be on guard against cholera following the confirmation of a cholera case in Hong Kong.

A spokesman for DH said: "The best way to prevent the spread of cholera and other food-borne diseases is to observe good personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times."

The patient is a 45-year-old man from Tsuen Wan and he was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital on Tuesday (April 20). He is in a stable condition.

He had not travelled outside Hong Kong during the incubation period.

Health education had been given to family members of the patient and disinfection work was carried out at his home.

Initial investigations showed that the cause of the disease might be due to improper food preparation at his home, resulting in cross-contamination of raw seafood and cooked food.

The spokesman reminded members of the public to:

* clean and cook food thoroughly;

* reheat cooked food properly; and

* avoid cross-contamination of raw and cooked food.

The bacteria isolated in this case was Vibrio cholerae O139. It was first identified in India and Bangladesh in 1992 and had since then been reported in other countries in this region including Hong Kong.

Some studies revealed that patients with Vibrio cholerae O139 had milder symptoms, including less diarrhoea and vomiting, compared with the usual strain of Vibrio cholerae O1.

To-date two cholera cases were reported in Hong Kong this (1999) year, the first one being an imported case in March.

End/Thursday, April 22, 1999

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