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Serology tests on a 37-year-old woman have proved positive for Japanese encephalitis (JE). This is the second JE case reported in Hong Kong this year.
A spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health said that the patient lived in Tin Shui Wai. She developed fever, dizziness and double vision on July 20 and was admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital on the same day. She is now in a serious condition.
"Initial investigations revealed that as the patient did not travel outside Hong Kong in the month before the onset of the illness, the case is likely to be a local one," the spokesman added.
The three household contacts of the patient are asymptomatic and have been put under medical surveillance. Staff of the CHP will arrange health talks and blood-test for nearby residents.
The CHP has set up a hotline (2575 1848) to provide health advice for people living in the surrounding area. The hotline will operate until 9pm today and during office hours from tomorrow.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has carried out vector surveys and mosquito control measures in the vicinity of the patient's home.
From 1992 to 2004, there have been a total of 11 sporadic cases of JE reported in Hong Kong, comprising one local case in 1996, one imported case in 1997, one imported case in 2001, two imported cases in 2002, one local case in 2003 and five local cases in 2004. Two cases, one imported and one local, have been reported so far this year.
The spokesman said JE is transmitted by Culicine mosquitoes. The mosquitoes breed mainly in water-logged fields, marshes, ditches and small stable collections of water around cultivated fields. The public is reminded to prevent mosquito breeding by removing stagnant water.
To prevent Japanese encephalitis, members of the public are advised to take the following precautionary measures both in Hong Kong and when visiting areas with mosquito-transmitted diseases:
* Wear long-sleeved tops and trousers;
* Use insect repellent over exposed parts of the body when outdoors; and
* Use mosquito screens or nets when the room is not air-conditioned.
People living in rural areas are also reminded to take precautionary measures for personal protection, particularly after dark.
Travellers should take proper precautionary measures when travelling to endemic areas. They should:
* avoid outdoor exposure to mosquito bites at dusk and dawn, especially in rural areas;
* apply effective insect repellent with DEET to exposed parts of their bodies; and
* consider vaccination. This should be completed at least 10 days before departure to endemic areas in Asia or Western Pacific and staying over one month, particularly in rural areas, bears higher risk.
Travellers who fall sick after returning from endemic areas should consult their doctor promptly and give details of their travel history.
Details of the preventive measures against JE are available on the CHP's website (http://www.chp.gov.hk) and the Department of Health's Hong Kong Travel Health Service website (http://www.travelhealth.gov.hk).
Ends/Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Issued at HKT 17:46
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