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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (April 18) investigating an imported case of severe paediatric influenza A infection with encephalitis affecting a 19-month-old girl living in Shenzhen.
The patient, with good past health, presented with fever, cough and convulsion on April 13 in Shenzhen and was diagnosed as having upper respiratory tract infection (URI) and febrile convulsion. Her condition deteriorated on April 16 and she was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital in Hong Kong on the same day.
She developed convulsion yesterday (April 17) and is currently receiving further management in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit in serious condition.
Her chest X-ray was clear and clinical diagnosis was encephalitis. Her nasopharyngeal aspirate tested positive for seasonal influenza A(H1).
Initial enquiries by the CHP revealed that she did not have a history of contact with poultry or birds in the Mainland and did not travel to areas affected by avian influenza A(H7N9) recently.
The patient's mother in Shenzhen presented with URI symptoms on April 13 and has already recovered. Her grandmother in Hong Kong developed sore throat and became feverish on the same day and has also recovered. Her father in Hong Kong has been asymptomatic so far.
To prevent respiratory tract infections, a spokesman for the CHP urged members of the public to take heed of the following advice:
* Build up good body immunity by having a proper diet, regular exercise and adequate rest, reducing stress and avoiding smoking;
* Maintain good personal hygiene, wash hands after sneezing or coughing and cleaning the nose, and wear a mask when symptoms of respiratory tract infection develop;
* Maintain good ventilation;
* Avoid visiting crowded places with poor ventilation; and
* Receive seasonal influenza vaccination. For details, please visit the Influenza Page of the CHP's website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/14843.html).
Ends/Thursday, April 18, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:37
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