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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is maintaining close communication with the Ministry of Health and Health Department of Guangdong Province on the investigation progress of the fatal human avian flu H5N1 case in Guangzhou.
A CHP delegation, led by Principal Medical Officer, Dr S K Chuang, visited Guangzhou yesterday and met experts of Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of Guangdong Province (GDCDC) and public health professionals from Macau.
The experts exchanged their views and shared information on the epidemiological and laboratory findings of the case in which a 32-year-old man died.
The CHP delegation learnt that epidemiological studies were being conducted by GDCDC to look at different possibilities as to how the patient acquired the infection, including the markets he visited.
Further laboratory, epidemiological as well as environmental investigations are on-going. The possibility of collaboration concerning laboratory testing between Guangdong and Hong Kong was also explored during the meeting.
The team also learnt that GDCDC had started retrospective active case finding for severe pneumonia cases since January, 2006, to identify undiagnosed human avian influenza cases.
More than 120 contacts of the deceased have been put under close medical surveillance.
Surveillance of severe pneumonia of unknown causes has been enhanced in Guangdong Province. Zero reporting of such cases was activated in the hospitals in Guangzhou City. According to GDCDC, there was no suspected human infection of avian influenza cases in Guangdong at the moment.
Ends/Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:34
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