******************************************
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (December 31) was notified by Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) of a suspected case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) affecting a 25-year-old man. His respiratory specimens tested negative for MERS Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
The patient is a postgraduate student who had handled MERS-CoV specimens recently in the laboratory at QMH. He has presented with fever, cough with sputum and sore throat since December 24. He sought medical attention from a private doctor this morning and was subsequently referred to QMH for isolation management. He is currently in stable condition.
His respiratory specimens tested negative for MERS-CoV upon preliminary laboratory testing by the CHP's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch (PHLSB).
A spokesman for the CHP reminded the staff of clinical laboratories to observe the Guidelines on Biosafety in the Clinical Laboratory (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/guidelines_on_biosafety_in_the_clinical_laboratory_2nd_edn.pdf).
"A biosafety programme should be in place, with regular monitoring and review, to ensure a safe work environment and safe work practices in the laboratory, encompassing elements including provision of training, promotion of appropriate measures, implementation of practices in accordance with the safety manual, management of accidents and incidents, management of staff health, monitoring of safety systems, and maintenance of various safety records," the spokesman stressed.
Ends/Thursday, December 31, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:31
NNNN
