4 Jun 2009
A spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) today (June 4) said that the department was investigating three newly confirmed cases of human swine influenza (Influenza A H1N1).
This brings to 30 the total number of human swine influenza cases in Hong Kong. All of them are imported cases.
The first case involved an 11-year-old boy living in Boston. The boy, accompanied by his parents and an elder brother left Boston on June 2 for Chicago where they took a flight of United Airlines (flight no. UA895) to Hong Kong on June 3.
The boy developed cough on May 30, and runny nose and fever on May 31. His symptoms improved on June 2.
The boy sat in row 23 and wore a face mask in the flight.
He was intercepted by Port Health Office and was sent to Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) by ambulance.
His family members are asymptomatic.
The second case involved a six-year-old boy living in Australia. He, accompanied by his parents and two brothers arrived in Hong Kong on May 31 from Melbourne by taking a flight of Cathay Pacific (flight no. CX168). He sat in row 69 of the flight.
The family took a taxi from the Airport to L'Hotel Nina et Convention Centre in Tsuen Wan. They stayed at a room on 30th floor.
The boy developed nausea and vomiting in the evening of May 31. He had onset of cough and fever on June 1 and June 2 respectively.
He was taken to the Out Patient Department of Tsuen Wan Adventist Hospital in the morning of June 4. He was transferred to PMH by ambulance for isolation.
His family contacts are asymptomatic.
The third case involved a 40-year-old man who stayed in the United States from May 18 to 31. He returned to Hong Kong on June 1 from New York by taking a flight of Cathay Pacific (flight no. CX841). He sat in row 20 and wore a face mask in the flight.
DH's investigation showed that the man drove to Lok Ma Chau in the evening of June 1. He stayed in the He Yuan in Guangdong until June 3 when he developed headache, cough, runny nose and fever. He drove back to Lok Ma Chau and was intercepted by Port Health Office. He was sent to PMH by ambulance for isolation.
Laboratory analysis on respiratory samples taken from the three patients yielded positive results for human swine influenza today.
DH is now tracing passengers sitting in rows 20-25 of UA895 arrived in Hong Kong on June 3, those sitting in rows 66-70 of CX168 arrived in Hong Kong on May 31, and crew members of the flights concerned who had served the cabins concerned as well as other close contacts of the three patients.
The spokesman urged the taxi drivers who took a five-member family from the Airport to L'Hotel Nina et Convention Centre in Tsuen Wan on May 31 about 10am and took the family from the hotel to Tsuen Wan Adventist Hospital at about 6am in the morning of June 4 to call DH hotline 2125 1111.
Investigations into the three cases are ongoing.
Meanwhile, the spokesman called on members of the public to advise their children, relatives or friends coming to Hong Kong from abroad to defer their trips if they developed symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat.
"To protect their own health and that of other travellers, they should seek medical attention where they are.
"If they feel unwell on the plane, they should wear a face mask and inform cabin crew immediately," the spokesman said.