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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (November 24) investigating a case of Legionnaires' disease.
The patient is a man aged 80 with underlying illness. He has presented with fever, cough with sputum and runny nose since November 20. He was admitted to a private hospital on November 23 and was transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for further management today. His clinical diagnosis is pneumonia and he is currently in a critical condition.
His urine specimen tested positive for Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 antigen upon testing by the private hospital. Initial enquiries revealed that the patient lives in Sydney, Australia. During the incubation period, he travelled to Indonesia on November 8. He then came to Hong Kong on November 16 and stayed at a hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui. One of his travel collaterals had fever and upper respiratory tract infection symptoms since November 19 but no evidence of pneumonia was found. Other travel collaterals remained asymptomatic.
"Epidemiological investigations into the possible sources of infection are under way. Relevant water samples and environmental swabs will be collected from potential sources for laboratory testing. Health advice against LD has been given to the patient and his travel collaterals," a spokesman for the CHP said.
"As legionellae are found in various environmental settings and aqueous environments, investigations are ongoing," the spokesman added.
This is the 61st LD case reported to the CHP this year. In 2014 and 2013, 41 and 28 cases were recorded respectively.
Legionellae are found in various environmental settings and grow well in warm water (20 to 45 degrees Celsius). They can be found in aqueous environments such as water tanks, hot and cold water systems, cooling towers, whirlpools and spas, water fountains and home apparatus that support breathing. People may get infected when they breathe in contaminated droplets (aerosols) and mist generated by artificial water systems. They may also get the infection when handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes.
It is most important to operate and maintain properly designed man-made water systems to prevent LD. The public may visit the pages below for more information:
* The CHP's LD page (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/24307.html);
* The Code of Practice for Prevention of LD of the Prevention of LD Committee, Hong Kong (www.emsd.gov.hk/en/supporting_government_initiatives/legionnaires_disease/publications/codes_of_practice/index.html); and
* The Housekeeping Guidelines for Cold and Hot Water Systems for Building Management (www.emsd.gov.hk/en/supporting_government_initiatives/legionnaires_disease/publications/general/index.html).
Ends/Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:29
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