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The Department of Health (DH) is investigating an acute gastroenteritis outbreak involving 12 secondary school students today (December 20).
Initial investigations revealed that the affected students (four male and eight female aged from 12 to 19 years) developed symptoms of gastroenteritis including diarrhoea, vomiting, and fever between December 18 and 20.
All of them went to the Accident and Emergency Department of Prince of Wales Hospital for medical treatment. None of them required hospitalisation. Further investigation and medical surveillance are on-going.
To prevent contracting gastroenteritis, members of the public are advised to-
* Ensure proper personal hygiene;
* Wash hands thoroughly before eating and after using toilet or handling vomitus or faecal matter;
* Avoid food that is not thoroughly cooked.
Members of the public can obtain more information on the prevention of gastroenteritis from CHP's website (http://www.chp.gov.hk) or call the Central Health Education Unit hotline, 2833 0111.
Ends/Thursday, December 20, 2007
Issued at HKT 21:01
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