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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (June 28) repeated its call for vigilance against hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and enterovirus (EV) infections upon receiving report of neurological complications due to EV infection.
The patient is a 44-day-old baby boy born in Hong Kong and living in the Mainland. He developed on and off fever from June 15 and was admitted to Alice Ho Miu Ling Nerthersole Hospital on June 18. He is now in stable condition.
The boy's clinical diagnosis is meningitis. His throat swab specimen tested positive for EV. Further laboratory tests are in progress.
His home contacts are asymptomatic.
The spokesman called on the public to maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene during the current HFMD outbreaks and to adopt the following measures to prevent HFMD and EV infection:
* Maintain good indoor air circulation;
* Wash hands before meals and after going to the toilet, handling diapers or other stool soiled materials;
* Keep hands clean and wash hands properly, especially when they are made dirty by respiratory secretions, such as after sneezing;
* Cover nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing and dispose of nasal and mouth discharge properly;
* Clean children's toys and other objects thoroughly and frequently with 1:49 diluted household bleach, followed by rinsing/wiping with clean water;
* Children who are ill should be kept out of school until their fever and rash have subsided and all the vesicles have dried and crusted; and
* Avoid going to overcrowded places.
Ends/Monday, June 28, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:18
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