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As at 3 pm today (September 25), the Department of Health's (DH) hotline 2961 8966 received a total of 509 enquiries on dengue fever.
Most of the calls were general enquiries. Thirty callers, being 25 male and five female aged between 19 and 59, worked or lived in Ma Wan. Among them, 13 callers, 11 male and two female aged 20 to 59, were referred to DH's regional offices for blood tests as they developed symptoms of fever earlier. Four other callers (one male and three female aged 29 to 35) who visited Ma Wan were also referred to regional offices for blood tests as they were found to have fever earlier. None was admitted to hospital.
The hotline, operated since September 21, is manned from 9 am to 5 pm daily by healthcare professionals.
DH today confirmed one more local case of dengue fever and an imported case of dengue fever.
The local case of dengue fever involved a 36-year-old man living in Ma Wan. He developed fever, muscle pain, joint pain and rash in July and was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital from July 25 to August 2. He had recovered. As he did not have recent travel history, the case was classified as a local dengue fever case. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has taken special anti-mosquito measures in his neighbourhood.
A DH spokesman said patients of all seven local cases of dengue fever confirmed so far were either workers of the construction site or nearby residents. Their onset dates of the disease occurred before September 20 when FEHD started mosquito control action. At present, there is no evidence that the infection has gone beyond Ma Wan. DH is closely monitoring the situation.
Persons working or living in Ma Wan since June 1, 2002 and had symptoms like fever, severe headache, muscle pain, joint pain and rash are advised to call a special hotline 2961 8966 set up by DH for enquiries and health advice.
Members of the public should guard against dengue fever by taking preventive measures against mosquito breeding and the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.
As for the imported case, a 68-year-old female with travel history developed symptoms of fever, muscle pain, joint pain and rash on September 7. She was admitted to Prince of wales Hospital on September 16. She was discharged and had recovered. She lives in Tai Po.
To-date, 20 confirmed cases of dengue fever were reported in Hong Kong this (2002) year. Of these, 13 were imported cases and seven local cases.
End/Wednesday, September 25, 2002
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