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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health has been notified by the Hospital Authority of three cases of typhoid fever so far this week. This brings to 15 the total number of typhoid fever cases reported to the CHP since November 25, 2005.
The three cases involved two men aged 24 and 25 and a 24-year-old woman. They live in Tsing Yi, Sham Shui Po and Yuen Long respectively.
They developed fever, abdominal pain and vomiting on December, 26, 27 and 29 respectively. The 24-year-old man was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital on December 29 and the 25-year-old man was admitted to Caritas Medical centre on December 31. The woman was admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital on January 2. All of them are in a stable condition.
A CHP spokesman said 10 of the 14 locally acquired cases involved residents of Yuen Long district.
Commenting on the cluster of typhoid fever cases in Yuen Long, the spokesman said that since the incubation period of the disease could stretch to three weeks or more, the detection of previously infected cases in the district this week was not unexpected.
The CHP and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department are investigating any possible links between the newly notified case in Yuen Long district and previous cases in the district.
Preliminary investigation of the other two new patients revealed that they had not visited Yuen Long district before the onset of symptoms. The spokesman also pointed out that territory-wide sporadic typhoid fever cases were reported to the CHP round the year.
"Of the 414 samples taken so far for laboratory testing, 382 yielded negative results for Salmonella typhi. The remaining samples are being tested," the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, laboratory results have shown that DNA fingerprinting of a previous case in Tuen Mun is compatible with that of the Yuen Long cluster. The Tuen Mun patient consumed food in Yuen Long during the incubation period.
"Despite the fact that no common food premises have so far been identified to account for all the cases, investigations focusing on possible common food vehicles or food handlers are continuing," the spokesman said.
A total of three cases have been reported so far this year while the figures for 2001 to 2005 are 67, 67, 49, 53 and 36 respectively.
As typhoid fever is usually transmitted by consuming food and water contaminated by the faeces or urine of patients or carriers, the spokesman called on members of the public -- in particular, food handlers -- to take the following measures:
* Wash hands properly with soap and water before eating or handling food.
* Clean, wash and cook food thoroughly.
* Wash fruit and vegetables before consumption.
* Do not handle cooked food with bare hands; wear gloves if necessary.
* Handle and store raw and cooked food especially seafood separately to avoid cross-contamination.
* Buy fresh food from reliable sources. Do not buy cooked food from illegal hawkers.
Ends/Wednesday, January 4, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:43
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