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In view of a human case of avian influenza H5N1 in Shenzhen, the Hospital Authority (HA) started the three-week Enhanced Surveillance Programme from June 15, 2006.
Public hospitals should report to the authority's e-Flu system all patients fulfilling the case definition of having pneumonia (all types) of unidentified etiology and who had travelled in the seven days before the onset of symptoms, to affected areas/ countries with confirmed human cases of avian influenza infection in the past six months.
The authority today (July 5) received reports of five cases (two male, three female, aged 3 to 74). So far, 161 cases (90 male, 71 female, aged 2 months to 89 years) have been received. These patients have visited Shanghai, Guangdong, Hunan, Hubei, Fujian, Zhejiang and Thailand before the onset of symptoms. HA has reported the cases to the Centre for Health Protection. Public hospitals have been providing rapid tests for these patients.
As at 4pm today, none of the test results was positive to Influenza A (H5) virus.
Ends/Wednesday, July 5, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:17
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