24 May 2009
A spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) today (May 24) said that DH is investigating the seventh imported case of human swine influenza (Influenza A H1N1) in Hong Kong.
The case involved a 21-year-old student who arrived in Korea on May 22 from the United States and transit to Hong Kong by taking Korean Airline (flight no. KE607, codeshare Delta DL7897) on the same day. She sat in row 44 of the flight and wore a face mask.
"She had onset of sore throat on the way to Hong Kong. She developed fever the following morning and was admitted to the Kwong Wah Hospital in stable condition. She was transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital today," the spokesman said.
Laboratory analysis on her respiratory samples yielded positive results for human swine influenza today.
DH is now conducting contact tracing of passengers sitting in rows 41-47 of flight KE607.
The confirmed patient stayed in New York from May 14 to May 20, 2009. She travelled from New York to Atlanta on May 20 and travelled from Atlanta to Hong Kong on May 21 (US time), taking transit in Seoul and arriving Hong Kong at about 10pm on May 22.
"She lives in Tsz Wan Shan with four family members who had been taken to Kwong Wah Hospital for examination. All of them were tested negative for human swine influenza," the spokesman said.
Investigation is still ongoing.
The spokesman called on travellers taking flight KE607 on May 22 to call the DH hotline 2125 1111 to facilitate surveillance of their health condition by health authorities.