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A press release from the Hong Kong Department of Health (hat tip Ironorehopper on FluTrackers) indicates that eight close contacts to the woman now in serious condition from H5N1 have tested negative for the virus.
Latest laboratory results received by the Department of Health (DH) today (November 18) revealed that all eight close contacts of the H5N1 case were negative for Influenza A (subtype H5).
The eight, three family members and five other patients who shared a cubicle with the H5N1 patient in a Tuen Mun Hospital ward, were being quarantined at Princess Margaret Hospital.
The H5N1 patient is also in Princess Margaret Hospital and is still in serious condition.
Meanwhile, three more contacts who shared a meal with the H5N1 patient on November 11 have been identified. None of them has fever. Contact tracing continues.
As at 5pm today, a total of 18 public enquiries have been received on the DH hotline set up yesterday.
A spokesman for DH said a special edition of Communicable Disease Watch featuring the H5N1 case, among others, has been published at the Centre of Health Protection website. The link is: www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/cdw_v7_24.pdf .
The PDF Link to the Communicable Disease Watch mentioned above provides us with the most detailed information we’ve seen to date on this bird flu patient’s early symptoms and treatment.
Kudos to Hong Kong health officials for making this remarkably detailed information available in record time.
Confirmation of a case of human influenza A (H5N1) infection in Hong Kong
Reported by DR MICHAEL LAU, Medical Officer, and DR ALBERT AU,Senior Medical Officer, Respiratory Disease Office, Surveillance and Epidemiology Branch, CHP.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) confirmed a case of human influenza A (H5N1) infection on November 17, 2010 affecting a 59-year-old lady living in Tuen Mun. She enjoyed good past health. She presented with runny nose since November 2, 2010, fever and cough with blood streak sputum since November 5. She consulted doctors with medications given. Her symptoms persisted and she attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) on November 12 with chest X-ray (CXR) showing left middle zone haziness.
She was given a course of Augmentin. She had increasing haemoptysis and persistent fever and was admitted to general ward in TMH on November 14. Her condition deteriorated and CXR taken on November 16 showed consolidation of entire left lung field and right lower zone haziness.
She was then transferred to intensive care unit for close monitoring. She was treated with oseltamivir and was given 100% oxygen but did not require ventilatory support.
She is currently in serious condition in Princess Margaret Hospital. Her nasopharyngeal aspirate was tested positive for H5 influenza A virus by PCR on November 17, 2010.
She travelled to Mainland China (Shanghai, Nanjing and Hangzhou) with her husband and daughter from October 23, 2010 to November 1, 2010. She had history of visiting a wet market in Mainland China during the incubation period but had no history of direct contact with poultry or birds. She came back to Hong Kong on November 1.
The source of infection is being investigated. Her 60 year-old husband had history of running nose and productive cough but has recovered. Her close contacts are put under quarantine.
Chemoprophylaxis was offered to close contacts and respiratory specimens were tested negative.
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