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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (December 19) called on people to observe good personal and food hygiene to prevent typhoid fever.
During a three-week period from November 25 to December 18, the CHP received nine notifications of typhoid fever, seven of them in Yuen Long District. Of the remaining two cases, one was classified as an imported case and one lived in Sham Shui Po district.
The seven cases in Yuen Long announced last week by the CHP comprised a family cluster involving four children, aged from nine to 13, and three separate reports involving a 51-year-old man and two girls aged 8 and 17. The Sham Shui Po case involved a seven-year-old boy.
Between November 18 and December 6 they developed symptoms of typhoid fever including fever, abdominal pain and vomiting.
All of the seven cases in Yuen Long were admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital. The four children from the same family and the 17-year-old girl are in stable condition while the eight-year-old girl and the 51-year-old man have been discharged.
The seven-year-old boy in Sham Shui Po was admitted to Caritas Medical Centre and he is now in stable condition.
Consultant (Community Medicine) of the CHP, Dr Thomas Tsang, said initial investigations did not reveal a single common food premises or hawker that all the patients had patronised.
"The CHP is conducting further detailed epidemiological and laboratory investigations to find out if the cases originated from a common source. More definitive laboratory results are expected in about two weeks," Dr Tsang said.
Noting that typhoid fever was endemic in Hong Kong, Dr Tsang said the monthly notification of typhoid fever varied from zero to 11 cases in the past two years.
A total of 33 cases have been reported so far this year while the figures for 2001 to 2004 are 67, 67, 49 and 53 respectively.
"As for Yuen Long district, the annual number of cases ranged from one to nine during 2001–2004," Dr Tsang said. Typhoid fever is caused by the bacteria salmonella typhi and incubation period is usually between seven to 21 days.
"It is usually transmitted by consuming food and water contaminated by faeces or urine of patients or carriers. Onset of the illness is usually marked by fever, tiredness, chills, headache and generalised muscle and joint aches. Diarrhoea, constipation, or abdominal discomfort may occur," he said.
To prevent infection, people should take the following measures:
* Wash hands properly with soap and water before eating or handling food, and after toilet or changing diapers.
* Clean, wash and cook food thoroughly.
* Wash fruit and vegetables before consumption.
* Do not handle cooked food with bare hands; wear gloves if necessary.
* Handle and store raw and cooked food especially seafood separately to avoid cross contamination.
* Purchase fresh food from reliable sources. Do not buy cooked food from illegal hawkers.
Ends/Monday, December 19, 2005
Issued at HKT 18:20
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