10 August 2014
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (August 10) reported a suspected case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) affecting a man aged 32, whose blood sample has been tested negative for Ebola virus upon preliminary laboratory testing.
The patient has good past health. Since August 9, he has developed diarrhoea and vomiting but no fever. He attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Queen Elizabeth Hospital today and was transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital for treatment under isolation.
Initial investigations by the CHP revealed that the patient travelled from Lagos, Nigeria to Hong Kong on August 7 via transit in Dubai. In the past one month, he did not go to the other three affected countries (Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone). He had no contact history with sick persons or animals and did not visit health-care facilities. He is currently in stable condition.
"DH has adopted the preventive strategies which are in line with those recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). CHP will continue to closely monitor the development of the overseas situation and the latest recommendations provided by WHO. In view of the latest development, we advise travellers to avoid unnecessary travel to the affected areas including Lagos in Nigeria, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone," a spokesman for the DH remarked.
"Immigration officers will assist in identifying arrival passengers holding travel documents issued by the four affected countries and provide them information sheets about EVD. The information sheets will remind the sick travellers to approach port health personnel immediately if they are already sick upon arrival. If travellers have symptoms during their visit to Hong Kong, they should seek medical treatment promptly in the nearest Accident and Emergency Department of public hospitals as provided in the information sheet and tell the doctors about their travel history," the spokesman added.
The CHP has also issued letters to doctors and hospitals to appeal for vigilance and to inform them about the latest situation in the affected areas. Suspected cases should be notified to the CHP for early isolation, diagnosis, control and follow-up. Health-care workers should also exercise strict infection control measures to reduce the risk of transmission.
The CHP has set up a thematic website about EVD. Meanwhile, we have informed various working partners, including government departments/bureaux, District Councils and others, on the latest EVD situation and requested them to assist in disseminating health information to the public. CHP has also approached the organisations of Africans in Hong Kong to give them information about the disease and preventive measures. CHP will also provide relevant health information to the public through various channels including the Internet and media.
"Viral haemorrhagic fever, including EVD, has been a statutorily notifiable infectious disease since July 2008. No cases have been recorded in Hong Kong so far. The CHP's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch is capable of detecting the virus," the spokesman stressed.
There is currently no vaccine for EVD. The DH appealed to the public to take heed of the following preventive measures:
The public may visit the CHP's EVD page ( www.chp.gov.hk/en/view_content/34199.html ), the Travel Health News on the DH's Travel Health Service website ( www.travelhealth.gov.hk/english/outbreaknews/outbreaknews.html ) or the WHO's EVD page ( www.who.int/csr/disease/ebola/en/ ) for more information and travel advice.