Hong Kong: Confirmed local dengue fever case investigated (9/22/10)

[Giuseppe]

Hong Kong: Suspected local dengue fever case investigated (9/22/10)


[Source: Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong PRC SAR, View Original Article.]

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating a suspected local case of dengue fever involving a 46-year-old man.

The patient, who lives in Deep Water Bay, developed a headache on September 13 followed by fever, nausea, stomach ache, diarrhoea and rash. His blood samples taken on September 18 and 20 tested positive for Dengue virus IgM. Confirmatory tests have been conducted and results will be available later today.

His two sons (aged 8 and 18) also showed symptoms of fever with onset on September 6 and 10.

Blood investigation is being arranged.

His wife is asymptomatic.

The man had no history of travel outside Hong Kong in the month before onset of symptoms. But he had travelled with his family to Thailand from August 8 to 12.

Anti-mosquito measures are being implemented around his residence.

An interdepartmental meeting will be held in the afternoon.

A field visit to the patient's home and the surrounding area is being arranged by the CHP as a precautionary measure.
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[Giuseppe]

Re: Hong Kong: Confirmed local dengue fever case investigated (9/22/10)

Hong Kong: Local case of dengue fever confirmed (9/22/10)


[Source: Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong PRC SAR, View Original Article.]

A case of locally acquired dengue fever involving a 46-year-old man was confirmed by the Public Health Laboratory Service Branch of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (September 22).

A CHP spokesman said that the department is highly concerned about this case of locally acquired dengue fever infection since the last local dengue fever outbreak in Hong Kong occurred in 2002.

"We are working with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department closely to make an all-out effort to assess if there is any spread of the infection, contain the infection and prevent the spread," he said.

"At the interdepartmental meeting this afternoon, we solicited support from the Hospital Authority and various government departments on prevention and control of dengue fever, including active case findings and vector control."

Doctors are reminded to report suspected dengue fever cases to the CHP, especially among those with compatible symptoms and who have visited Deep Water Bay.

Early referral for investigation as well as public health control measures can prevent the further spread of the disease.

A enquiry hotline (2125 1122) has been set up for people who have visited Deep Water Bay and developed symptoms.

The CHP will continue to follow up on the case.

The spokesman stressed that mosquito control is an important measure to prevent the spread of dengue fever.

Members of the public are urged to actively participate in the elimination of mosquito breeding sites.

He said "Whether in Hong Kong or visiting dengue fever endemic areas, the public should take mosquito preventive measures."

A total of 61 cases of dengue fever have been reported to the CHP so far this year. There were 43 cases in 2009 and all of them were classified as imported.
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[Giuseppe]

Re: Hong Kong: Confirmed local dengue fever case investigated (9/22/10)

Hong Kong: A suspected local dengue fever case (9/23/10)


[Source: Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong PRC SAR, View Original Article.]

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating a suspected local case of dengue fever involving a two-year-old girl living in Deep Water Bay.

She is the neighbour of the 46-year-old man confirmed to have acquired dengue fever locally earlier.

Her blood samples, obtained during CHP's investigation into the dengue fever case yesterday, were tested positive to Dengue virus IgM this evening (September 23).

Confirmatory tests will be conducted.

The girl developed fever and abdominal pain on August 31 and recovered after consulting private doctors. Her household contacts were asymptomatic all along.

Blood specimens taken from her mother and two domestic helpers were tested negative.

Screening blood test results for her father and two sisters, aged nine months and two respectively, will be arranged.

The girl did not have travel history during incubation period, but had travelled to Sweden and France with family members between June 25 and August 9.

The girl is studying in ESF International Kindergarten (Hillside) at Stubbs Road. She did not go to school during the period when she had fever.

The CHP will distribute questionnaires to the children attending this school and the people living nearby.

Blood tests will be arranged if necessary.

Students of this school and people living nearby are advised to seek medical advice if they have symptoms compatible with dengue fever. Investigation continues.

The CHP appealed to the members of the public again to guard against dengue fever by taking preventive measures against mosquito breeding and the spread of mosquito-borne diseases.
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[Giuseppe]

Re: Hong Kong: Confirmed local dengue fever case investigated (9/22/10)

Hong Kong: Three suspected local dengue fever cases investigated (9/24/10)


[Source: Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong PRC SAR, View Original Article.]

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is investigating three suspected local dengue fever cases involving the three family members of the 46-year-old man who was earlier confirmed with dengue fever acquired in Hong Kong.

The three family members are the man's 47-year-old wife and his sons aged 18 and eight respectively.

Their blood specimens obtained by CHP today (September 24) have shown positive results for Dengue virus IgM this evening. Confirmatory tests are being conducted.

The two sons developed fever in early September, while the female patient recalled today that she also had headache and skin rashes in early September. Their domestic helper was tested negative for the virus.

As for the suspected local case involving a two-year-old girl, CHP is arranging further confirmatory tests. Screening blood tests for her father and two sisters, aged nine months and two respectively, are also being arranged.

CHP has today conducted field visits to ESF International Kindergarten (Hillside) and Bradbury School, where the girl and the eight-year-old boy studied, and distributed questionnaires.

So far, none of their classmates reported symptomatic.

Blood tests will be arranged with the parents' consent.

Meanwhile, CHP's investigation continued in the vicinity of the patients'residence at Island Road, Deep Water Bay and Stubbs Road where the two schools were located.

Information from around 400 persons were successfully obtained by either questionnaire or interview.

Nobody reported active symptoms during CHP's investigation.

As at today, blood samples from 66 persons were taken for laboratory analysis. Results are pending.

A spokesman said CHP was highly concerned about the above cases.

A health talk about dengue fever will be held jointly with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department this Sunday (September 26) afternoon at Stanley Bay Community Hall, Southern District to brief members of the public about the means of infection, symptoms and preventive measures of the disease.

As at 5pm today, CHP's hotline (2125 1122) has received a total of 23 enquiries. Investigation continues.
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[Giuseppe]

Re: Hong Kong: Confirmed local dengue fever case investigated (9/22/10)

Hong Kong: Update on investigation of local dengue fever cases (9/25/10)


[Source: Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong PRC SAR, View Original Article.]

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (September 25) continued its investigation into the confirmed and suspected local dengue fever cases.

Information from over 460 persons was successfully obtained by either questionnaires or interviews in the vicinity of Island Road, Deep Water Bay and Stubbs Road.

Nobody reported active symptoms during CHP's investigation.

As at today, blood samples from 72 persons were collected for laboratory analysis.

As at 5pm today, CHP's hotline (2125 1122) has received a total of 35 enquiries. Investigation continues.
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[Giuseppe]

Re: Hong Kong: Confirmed local dengue fever case investigated (9/22/10)

Hong Kong: Follow up on dengue fever investigation (9/26/10)


[Source: Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong PRC SAR, View Original Article.]

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (September 26) continued its investigation into the confirmed and suspected local dengue fever cases.

Information from over 500 persons was successfully obtained by either questionnaires or interviews in the vicinity of Island Road, Deep Water Bay and Stubbs Road.

Nobody reported active symptoms during CHP's investigation.

As at today, blood samples from 75 persons were collected for laboratory analysis. Tests are being conducted.

Blood specimens of the two sisters, aged nine months and two years respectively, of a two-year-old girl suspected to have acquired dengue fever locally were preliminarily tested negative for the virus.

A health talk on dengue fever has been jointly held by the CHP and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in Stanley Bay this afternoon to brief members of the public about the disease.

As at 5pm today, CHP's hotline (2125 1122) has received a total of 48 enquiries. Investigation continues.
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[Giuseppe]

Re: Hong Kong: Confirmed local dengue fever case investigated (9/22/10)

Hong Kong: Follow-up on dengue fever investigation (9/27/10)


[Source: Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong PRC SAR, View Original Article.]

No report about newly confirmed or suspected cases were received today (September 27) as the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) continued with its investigation into the confirmed and suspected local cases of dengue fever.

There has so far been one confirmed local case involving a 46-year-old man.

The CHP will be doing confirmatory tests for four suspected local cases involving the man's three family members - his 47-year-old wife, eight-year-old son and 18-year-old son, along with the man's neighbour, a two-year-old girl.

Other than the above confirmed and four suspected cases, all laboratory results of tests on local residents at Stubbs Road, Deep Water Bay and Stanley Bay received so far by CHP were negative for dengue fever virus.

As at 5pm today, the CHP's hotline (2125 1122) has received a total of 52 enquiries. Investigation continues.

The CHP will organise a talk on dengue fever for residents of Wan Chai on October 1.
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[Giuseppe]

Re: Hong Kong: Confirmed local dengue fever case investigated (9/22/10)

Hong Kong: Follow-up on dengue fever investigation (9/30/10)


[Source: Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong PRC SAR, View Original Article.]

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced today (September 30) that tests on blood samples obtained from the 2-year-old girl suspected to have locally acquired dengue fever showed negative results.

A spokesman for CHP explained that the initial IgM test for dengue fever using ELISA technique is a sensitive test but may show false positive result in someone who is not actually suffering from dengue fever.

Although initial sample collected from the 2-year-old girl on September 22 tested positive for IgM by ELISA technique, blood samples taken at 22 days and 28 days after onset of symptoms did not show any rise in dengue antibody level and thus dengue fever was excluded.

Meanwhile, blood specimens of the girl's father and her 2 sisters also tested negative for dengue fever virus.

Her mother and 2 domestic helpers have tested negative earlier.

Further tests for the other 3 suspected local cases involving family members of the 46-year-old man (47-year-old wife, 8-year-old son and 18-year-old son), who was the first local case, confirmed that they have been suffering from dengue fever.

The CHP has received information from over 862 persons by either questionnaire or interview in the vicinity of Deep Water Bay and Stubbs Road.

Other than the earlier reported suspected cases (2-year-old girl and 3 family members of the confirmed case), 3 reported history of symptoms of fever but were already asymptomatic.

Blood samples from 86 local residents (including the 2-year-old girl and 3 family members of the confirmed case) in the region were collected for laboratory analysis.

"All results so far were negative for dengue fever virus (excluding the 2-year-old girl and 3 family members of the confirmed case). No other reports about newly confirmed or suspected local cases were received," he said.

As at 5pm today, the CHP's enquiry hotline (2125 1122) has received a total of 63 enquiries. Its operating hours will be adjusted to 9am to 1pm for the public holiday tomorrow and the adjoining weekend in view of the small number of enquiries, but the normal hours of 9am to 5 pm will resume on Monday (October 4).

A health talk on dengue fever will be held by the CHP and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department tomorrow afternoon for residents of Wan Chai. Investigation continues.
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