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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health urged people to guard against meningococcal infection following confirmation of a local case of the disease.
Case details are as follows:
Age: 20
Sex: Female
Place of residence: Shau Kei Wan
Date of Onset: October 27, 2005
Symptoms: fever, cough, headache and septic shock
Hospitalisation: admitted to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital on October 28 and died on the same day.
Travel History: No recent travel history.
Home contacts: All home contacts are asymptomatic and have been given chemoprophylaxis and put under medical surveillance
Cumulative Total in 2005: 4
* imported: 0
* local: 4
Total number of meningococcal infection cases in recent years: 6 in 2002, 3 in 2003, 4 in 2004.
It is essential that people stay alert to the threat of meningococcal infection and take precautionary measures against the disease.
Meningococcal infection is caused by a bacterium known as meningococcus. It is transmitted by direct contact, including droplets from the nose and throat of infected people. The incubation period varies from two to 10 days, commonly three to four days.
The clinical picture may be variable. Severe illness may result when the bacteria invade the bloodstream (causing meningococcaemia) or the brain (causing meningitis). Meningococcaemia is characterised by the sudden onset of fever, intense headache, purpura, shock and even death in severe cases. Meningitis is characterised by the sudden onset of intense headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, photophobia and stiff neck. Early cases can be treated effectively with antibiotics.
People are advised to:
* Wash hands frequently, observe good personal and environmental hygiene;
* Avoid crowded places;
* Avoid close contact with patients who have fever or severe headache; and
* Cover nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing, and hold the spit with tissue, discard it into a bin with a lid and wash hands immediately.
Travellers returning from endemic areas should consult doctors promptly if they feel unwell after the trip. Let their doctor know their travel history.
People can visit the CHP's website http://www.chp.gov.hk for general information about the disease or visit the website of the Hong Kong Travel Health Service website http://www.travelhealth.gov.hk. for information on the situation in other places.
Ends/Wednesday, November 2, 2005
Issued at HKT 18:23
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