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The Department of Health (DH) today (July 10) confirmed a case of cholera infection involving a 23-year-old man and called on members of the public to be on guard against food-borne infections.

DH's investigations revealed that the patient developed watery diarrhoea on July 1. He attended a Government clinic in Tuen Mun for medical treatment. His stool specimen yielded positive result for cholera today. The strain type was identified as Inaba. The patient is now admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital in stable condition.

He has no history of traveling abroad during the incubation period. He had a food history of eating raw shrimp.

His family members were asymptomatic. Disinfection was carried out by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department at the patient's home in Tuen Mun.

A DH spokesman reminded the public to be vigilant against cholera which is an endemic disease in Hong Kong.

To prevent cholera and other food borne diseases, members of the public are advised to take the following measures:

* Clean and cook seafood thoroughly before consumption, particularly crustacean and bivalve seafood such as shrimp, crab, oysters and clams;

* Wash hands before eating and after going to toilet;

* Handle raw and cooked food with separate utensils to prevent cross contamination;

* Keep raw and cooked food separately;

* Store food in refrigerator (at 4 degrees celcius or below) and adequately reheat leftover food before consumption; and

* Keep the environment clean.

This is the second reported cholera case in Hong Kong this (2003) year. The first cholera case in June this year belonged to the Ogawa strain, indicating that the two cases are unrelated. Four cholera cases including two imported cases, were reported in 2002.

End/Thursday, July 10, 2003

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