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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
In response to media enquiries on a confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H7N9), the Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) spokesman gave the following reply today (January 29):
A 75-year-old patient with heart disease and other chronic illnesses was sent by ambulance to the Accident and Emergency Department (AED) of TMH at about 9pm yesterday (January 28) for chest pain, shortness of breath and cough. The patient claimed that he had stayed in Shenzhen between January 20 and 26 and had no history of contact with live poultry.
Preliminary examination by AED medical staff found that the patient showed signs of heart failure, fever and pneumonia. The patient was then transferred to a medical ward for follow-up treatment. Physicians subsequently admitted the patient to an isolation ward as further examination indicated that the patient had severe pneumonia apart from the cardiac condition. The hospital also arranged an influenza test for the patient.
The patient's vital signs were stable in the isolation ward. He was prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics. His condition deteriorated at about 6am this morning and he finally succumbed around 8am. The hospital has referred the case to the Coroner for follow up. Preliminary laboratory results available this afternoon were positive to H7. The results were later confirmed by the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health.
The hospital has introduced enhanced cleaning of the related wards and will work closely with the Centre for Health Protection in contact tracing.
Ends/Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:42
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