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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) received a report from Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) today (February 23) of a suspected case of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus.
The 40-year-old man, with good past health, presented with fever, cough, myalgia and runny nose since February 20. He attended the Accident and Emergency Department of QEH on February 22 and was admitted to the isolation ward of QEH on the same day. His current condition is stable.
Investigations by the CHP revealed that the patient travelled to Dubai with his family from January 24 to February 1, then to Tehran from February 1 to 20, and returned to Hong Kong on February 21. His family members travelled with him are all asymptomatic.
Preliminary laboratory test result for the patient's nasopharyngeal swab today showed that it tested negative for Novel Coronavirus associated with Severe Respiratory Disease but positive for influenza B.
"The CHP will continue its surveillance mechanism with public and private hospitals, practising doctors and the airport for any suspected cases of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus," a DH spokesman remarked.
"No human infection with this virus has been identified so far in Hong Kong," the spokesman stressed.
The spokesman advised travellers returning from novel coronavirus-affected countries with respiratory symptoms to wear face masks, seek medical attention and reveal their travel history to doctors.
Ends/Saturday, February 23, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:16
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