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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is sparing no effort to investigate the deaths of two local pig farmers who died of pneumonia-like illness in the past six months.
Consultant in Community Medicine of the CHP, Dr Thomas Tsang, who chaired an inter-departmental working group on the issue, said today (January 2) that post-mortem specimens from one of the deceased pig farmers, a 44-year-old man died in December 2006, had been taken and would be tested by the Public Health Laboratory Centre of CHP and the microbiological laboratories of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) had also collected 23 specimens from local pig farms for testing, he added.
¡°More completed results of these tests are expected to be available in a few weeks,¡± Dr Tsang said.
Dr Tsang said the 61-year-old male worker in Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse who was admitted to the North District Hospital on December 30, 2006 for pneumonia was discharged today. Preliminary microbiological test results on his respiratory specimens show pneumococcus and parainfluenza virus.
¡°Both are common respiratory pathogens that can cause pneumonia,¡± Dr Tsang said.
With enhanced surveillance, CHP received report of a patient admitted to North District Hospital today. He is a supervisor of meat delivery vehicle working at Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse.
The patient, aged 69, developed cough on December 28 and is now in stable condition. According to preliminary information gathered, his daily occupation does not involve routine direct handling of live pigs. He reported travel history to Zhuhai/Panyu and Guangzhou about 20 and 10 days before date of onset respectively. His family contacts are asymptomatic. Further investigation into the case is in progress.
Dr Tsang said that a retrospective review from May to December 2006 was being conducted on all HA hospital records to identify pig farmers who had been hospitalized with pneumonia. This is an additional investigative exercise to better define the occurrence of pneumonia among pig farmers.
¡°With all the enhanced surveillance measures and record reviews, it is expected that some more cases of pneumonia among pig farmers may be uncovered in the process,¡± he said.
Dr Tsang pointed out that there was an average of 4 000 pneumonia death in Hong Kong annually and the number of hospitalization due to pneumonia every year was about 40 000.
The CHP hotline 2125 1133 set up for pig farmers has so far received nine enquiries. Eight of the calls are general enquiries and the remaining one required follow-up actions.
To enhance pig farmers and live pig handlers¡¯ understanding of the situation, CHP and AFCD will organise a forum at CHP tomorrow afternoon to update them on the situation and provide health advice as well as listen to their concerns.
Ends/Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Issued at HKT 20:03
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