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The Department of Health (DH) today (October 4) received report from Ruttonjee Hospital (RH) of two cases of septic shock suspected to be related to procedures received by two women yesterday afternoon at a beauty treatment centre called "DR" in Causeway Bay.
The two patients are currently receiving intensive care in RH in critical condition.
The first case involved a 56-year-old woman with underlying illness. She developed fever, chest discomfort and headache shortly after receiving treatment in the centre in the afternoon of October 3. She stayed in the centre for a few hours and went home. She then developed diarrhoea, vomiting and numbness of both feet at night. She was admitted to RH today and is diagnosed to have septic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulapathy and is now under intensive care in critical condition.
The second case involved a 46-year-old woman with good past health. She developed fever and diarrhoea in the evening of October 3 after receiving treatment in the centre in the afternoon. She was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of RH today and is diagnosed to have septic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulapathy and her condition is also critical.
Both had received some intravascular infusions at the centre in the afternoon of October 3.
Investigation revealed a third case with septic shock who also received treatment at the beauty treatment centre yesterday afternoon. She is a 60-year-old woman who developed chills, headache, bone pain and dizziness while receiving treatment and was admitted today to a private hospital with fever. She was diagnosed to have septic shock and her current condition is critical.
The three cases are now under joint investigation by the DH and the Police. DH has instructed the concerned beauty treatment centre to suspend the said procedure.
A DH spokesman urged members of the public who developed fever after receiving similar treatment with intravenous infusions should seek medical advice immediately.
Ends/Thursday, October 4, 2012
Issued at HKT 23:02
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