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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (July 25) provided an update on its investigation into a suspected case of Japanese encephalitis (JE) involving a 13-year-old boy.
Upon laboratory testing by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the CHP, the patient's second serum specimen taken this morning tested negative for antibodies against JE.
"The latest laboratory finding suggests that the patient is not suffering from JE," a CHP spokesman remarked.
The patient, with good past health, has developed fever, headache and dizziness since July 15. He was admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital on July 19 with confused speech and transferred to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit on July 20. The clinical diagnosis is encephalitis. He is now receiving further management in the general ward in stable condition.
Ends/Thursday, July 25, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:33
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