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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (January 25) investigating a case of Legionnaires' disease (LD) involving a 64-year-old man.
The patient, with an underlying medical condition, presented with fever on January 16. He sought medical consultation at the Accident and Emergency Department of Caritas Medical Centre on January 22 and was admitted the same day. He was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit on January 24. The clinical diagnosis was pneumonia and he is currently in a serious condition.
His urine sample tested positive for serogroup 1 Legionella pneumophilia antigen.
The patient had no recent travel history and his home contacts are asymptomatic. An investigation by the CHP is under way.
This is the first LD case reported to the CHP this year. Twenty-eight cases were filed in 2012, 17 in 2011 and 20 in 2010.
For further information on LD and corresponding preventive advice, the public may visit the CHP website (www.chp.gov.hk).
Ends/Friday, January 25, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:34
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