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Press Release

Investigation into H9N2 case continues

December 10, 2003

Health team from the Department of Health (DH) today (December 10) visited a kindergarten in Lam Tin to carry out investigation and environmental inspection, and to provide health education to the school.

A five-year-old student of the kindergarten was found to have preliminary positive test result for influenza A (H9N2) yesterday. Gene sequencing today confirmed that the virus isolated from his nasopharyngeal aspirate was H9N2.

A spokesman for the department said the hygiene of the school was satisfactory but DH staff had reminded the school to take precautionary measures to prevent influenza in institutional setting. Staff of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) carried out thorough disinfection in the kindergarten this morning.

"Investigation has also revealed that there was no abnormal sick leave pattern in the kindergarten in recent weeks.

"A total of 15 birds' excreta samples were collected in the open area outside the kindergarten for laboratory tests," the spokesman said, adding:"a health talk has been arranged for the parents of the students this evening".

Subject to the consent of the parents, DH staff will take blood and throat swab samples from their children to ascertain if they had been infected with influenza A (H9N2), the spokesman added.

DH staff visited the home of the five-year-old boy last night and disinfection was conducted by the FEHD. Three family members have mild cough without fever. Specimens were collected from his family members for examination. Laboratory results will be available in about a week's time. Environmental samples were also collected from the poultry stalls in the shopping arcade near the patient's residence.

The department has also sent letters to all doctors and Chinese medicine practitioners to alert them of the case.

The spokesman reiterated that influenza A (H9N2) is very rare, and appears to present as a mild form of disease. Bird-to-human transmission is the most likely possibility based on previous studies. The five-year-old boy and two girls who had contracted the disease in 1999 had fully recovered.

As a precautionary measure, members of the public are reminded to avoid contacts with live poultry to minimize the chance of being infected with avian influenza.

"Hands should be washed thoroughly with soap and water after handling live poultry.

"To build up good body resistance against influenza, the public are encouraged to maintain a balanced diet, do regular exercise, and have adequate rest. They should not smoke," the spokesman said.

The public can obtain updated information on influenza from the Department of Health's Homepage(http://www.dh.gov.hk/). They can also get information on the prevention of influenza from the Department's Central Health Education Hotline on 2833 0111.

10 December 2003