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Press Release

Symptomatic patient who travelled to Nigeria tests negative for Ebola virus

27 October 2014

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (October 27) reported on a suspected case of Ebola virus disease in which the patient's blood specimen preliminarily tested negative for Ebola virus.

The male patient, aged 39 with good past health, claimed to have presented with runny nose since October 19 and he developed fever last night (October 26), but this has now subsided. He has not had vomiting or diarrhoea all along. He attended the Accident and Emergency Department (AED) of Prince of Wales Hospital this morning and was promptly transferred to the Hospital Authority Infectious Disease Centre (HAIDC) in Princess Margaret Hospital for isolation and management.

"Upon notification, we immediately commenced epidemiological investigation and the patient's blood specimen was obtained for laboratory testing," a spokesman for the DH said.

Initial enquiries revealed that the patient had travelled to Lagos, Nigeria from October 13 to 20, during which he had no contact with sick persons or animals, nor had he visited health-care facilities. His travel collateral and home contacts have remained asymptomatic thus far.

"His blood specimen was negative for Ebola virus upon preliminary laboratory testing by the CHP's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch. Further blood tests would be considered depending on the clinical condition of the patient," the spokesman added.

"We again urge the public to avoid unnecessary travel to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Equateur Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Doctors should also pay attention to patients who travelled to Nigeria on or before October 20 who develop compatible symptoms within 21 days as they still meet the reporting criteriaand are also statutorily required to be promptly notified to the CHP," the spokesman said.

Locally, prevention and control measures against Ebola are well in place. Surveillance has been strengthened on patients with Ebola symptoms who had travel history to any of the affected areas within 21 days before onset. Symptomatic travellers returning from affected areas are reminded to call 999 and inform the staff of their condition to arrange consultation in AEDs.

Regarding port health measures, the Health Surveillance Questionnaire has been launched for passengers arriving at the airport who have travelled to the affected countries/areas in the past 21 days, or hold travel documents issued by the affected countries. Holders of these travel documents are provided with Ebola information sheets at all boundary control points (BCPs). In parallel, ongoing temperature screening and health promotion for all travellers arriving at all BCPs is underway. Suspected cases will be referred to the HAIDC for examination.

"We hope the enhanced port health measures, in addition to the existing ones, can supplement and enhance our capacity in Ebola case detection at BCPs," the spokesman said.

The DH will continue to closely monitor the latest developments of the overseas situation and communicate with the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as the Mainland and neighbouring health authorities to exchange information and updates on preventive and control measures, and will modify the local response and health surveillance if necessary.

There is currently no vaccine available for Ebola. The public should avoid unnecessary travel to affected areas, and observe good personal and environmental hygiene during travel:

  • Always use liquid soap or alcohol-based hand rub to clean hands before touching the eyes, nose and mouth;
  • Avoid close contact with fever or sick patients, and contact with blood or other bodily fluids of patients, including items which may have come into contact with patients' blood or other bodily fluids;
  • Avoid contact with animals; and
  • Cook food thoroughly before consumption.

The public should also pay attention to the hygiene practices below:

  • Exercise proper wound management. Clean broken skin immediately and cover it properly with waterproof adhesive dressings. Wash hands before and after touching wounds;
  • Put on appropriate personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks when handling respiratory secretions, vomitus or excreta;
  • Use absorbent disposable towels to wipe away obvious contaminants as soon as possible, then disinfect the surface and neighbouring areas with appropriate disinfectant such as diluted household bleach (by adding one part of household bleach containing 5.25 per cent sodium hypochlorite to 49 parts of water), leave for 15 to 30 minutes, rinse with water and then keep dry; and
  • Put contaminants into a plastic bag, seal it up and discard it into a garbage bin with a lid. Perform hand hygiene immediately and thoroughly after taking off gloves.

The public may visit the pages below for more disease information and travel advice:

27 Oct 2014