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A spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health said today (June 3) that around 1 000 cases of Enterohaemorrhagic E. coli infection and about 470 cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome were recorded in Germany according to the latest report from the World Health Organization dated June 3, 2011.
Laboratory results primarily suggested that the cases were caused by the unusual E. coli serogroup O104:H4. Cases have also been identified in some European countries outside Germany and in the United States. Most of the patients have travel history to Germany during their incubation period. The majority of patients were adults. The exact source of the outbreak is still under intensive investigation.
The spokesman said that laboratory diagnostic facilities are available at the Public Health Laboratory Centre of the Department of Health, and confirmatory laboratory tests will be made available to patients admitted to public and private hospitals with epidemiological and clinical suspicion of the infection. The CHP is issuing letters to all doctors today, informing them about the latest situation.
The CHP has been in close contact with the World Health Organization and German health authorities on the outbreak and will continue to monitor the situation.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has stepped up surveillance at both import and retail levels on vegetables imported from European countries especially Germany and Spain. Samples will be taken for examination if suspected items are found. It also maintains close liaison with the European Union authorities.
A spokesman for the CFS said, "People will contract E. coli causing gastro-intestinal disease through consumption of contaminated water or undercooked and contaminated foods, such as minced beef, hamburgers, roasted beef, raw milk, cheese, vegetables, fruit juice, yoghurt, etc. Moreover, due to poor personal hygiene, person-to-person transmission of this pathogen is possible through oral-faecal route."
The public are advised to take the following preventive measures:
* Travellers should maintain strict personal and food hygiene during travel at all times, especially if they are travelling to places affected by the outbreak. They are advised to consult doctors immediately if they develop gastrointestinal symptoms, particularly bloody diarrhoea. Further information on travel health is available at the Travel Health Service website at www.travelhealth.gov.hk.
* To prevent infection, members of the public are advised to cook food thoroughly before consumption.
* Store meat in a refrigerator or freezer before preparation. Do not eat undercooked hamburgers, ground beef and other meat products, i.e. cook all ground beef and hamburgers thoroughly until the cooked meat is brown throughout and the juices run clear.
* When preparing vegetables, discard the outer leaves of leafy vegetables before washing. Immerse fresh vegetables in water and wash thoroughly with running water to remove dirt and surface microorganisms. For preparing cucumber, scrub it with a clean brush under running water. To reduce food safety risk, vegetables (including cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce) should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
* For people in high risk categories (i.e. young children, elderly people, pregnant women and others with weakened immune systems), they should avoid eating food containing raw vegetables (e.g. salad, coleslaw, pickled vegetables, etc).
* Stop preparing food when suffering from gastro-intestinal disturbances.
Ends/Friday, June 3, 2011
Issued at HKT 21:22
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