22 May 2009
A spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) today (May 22) said that DH is investigating an imported case of human swine influenza (Influenza A H1N1).
The case involved a 19-year-old woman who arrived in Hong Kong on May 18 from New York by taking a flight of Cathay Pacific Airlines (flight no. CX 831, codeshare American Airlines (AA6091)). She sat at row 43 and did not have any symptoms during the journey to Hong Kong.
"The patient stayed in the United States from December 2008 to May 17, 2009. She developed malaise on May 20 and fever on the next day. She was admitted to the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) on May 21 in stable condition," the spokesman said.
Laboratory analysis on respiratory samples taken from the patient yielded positive results for human swine influenza today.
"The patient lives in Hung Hom with her parents. Her parents are asymptomatic and have been taken to PMH for examination," the spokesman said.
DH's investigation showed that the patient stayed at home most of the time when she returned Hong Kong. DH is now tracing close contacts of the patient.
The spokesman added that another passenger on the same flight was also confirmed by Taiwan, China to have infected with human swine influenza on May 20.
He called on travellers taking the same flight to call the DH hotline 2125 1111 to facilitate surveillance of their health condition by the health authority.