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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is taking proactive follow-up action after receiving notification from Taiwan health authority today (July 25) that two passengers travelling from Taiwan to the Mainland via Hong Kong on July 21 were confirmed to be suffering from tuberculosis (TB).
A spokesman said that DH was liaising with the airline for information of the 55-year-old man with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and a 57-year-old woman with TB as well as other passengers travelling on the flight KA435 from Kaohsiung to Hong Kong and KA810 from Hong Kong to Nanjing on July 21.
Follow up and risk assessment is being made for passengers who had been in close contact with the index patients, i.e., those sitting in the same row or within two rows in front of and behind the index patients. Crew members who worked in the same cabin will also be evaluated. Health advice will be provided and those with symptoms suspicious of TB would be referred to seek early medical advice.
The spokesman said that initial investigation showed that the flight concerned was about three hours, which is shorter than the eight-hour duration recommended by the World Health Organization for initiating contact tracing.
"Although initial assessment indicated a rather low risk for TB transmission, CHP is taking the case seriously and implementing follow up measures as a precaution.
"CHP will continue to monitor the situation," he said.
TB is an important infectious disease globally and also endemic in Hong Kong. Multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) is TB with resistance to two major first-line anti-TB drugs, but there are other seond line drugs for treating this condition. To prevent TB, one should maintain good body defence, have adequate rest, balanced diet, avoid smoking and alcohol, and maintain good indoor ventilation. Those who develop symptoms suspicious of TB should seek early medical advice.
Ends/Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Issued at HKT 20:50
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