**********************************************
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (August 16) investigating a case of Legionnaires' disease (LD) affecting a man aged 79.
The patient, with underlying illnesses, lives in a residential care home for the elderly in North Point. He has presented with fever, cough with sputum and shortness of breath since August 11 and was admitted to Ruttonjee Hospital on August 14 for management. The clinical diagnosis is pneumonia and he has been in stable condition.
His urine sample tested positive for Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 antigen upon testing by Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital.
Initial enquiries revealed that the patient had no recent travel history.
"We are working with the residential care home for the elderly (RCHE) in which the patient stayed on the epidemiological investigation into the possible source of infection. Tracing of contacts including staff and residents therein is under way. Water samples and environment swabs will be collected from the RCHE for laboratory testing," a spokesman for the CHP said.
The RCHE has been put under medical surveillance. No other cases have been identified from staff and residents of the RCHE so far. The CHP provided health advice on LD to staff and residents, including those with weakened immunity who should use boiled water for drinking, tooth-brushing and mouth-rinsing.
"As Legionella bacteria can be widely found in the environment, investigations are ongoing," the spokesman remarked.
This is the 34th LD case reported to the CHP this year. In 2014 and 2013, 41 and 28 cases were recorded respectively.
The public may visit the CHP's LD page (www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/24307.html) for more information and corresponding preventive advice.
Ends/Sunday, August 16, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:15
NNNN
