August 2, 2001
The Department of Health (DH) today (August 2) reminded members of the public to clean and cook seafood thoroughly before eating following notification of two confirmed and one suspected cholera cases.
A spokesman for DH said: "All three patients are suspected to have contracted the disease through the consumption of raw seafood, including raw crab and raw shrimp."
The two confirmed cases involved a 28-year-old woman living in Wong Tai Sin and a 60-year-old man in Tin Shui Wai. They suffered from diarrhoea and were admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital. Both are now in stable condition.
Both patients had not travelled outside Hong Kong during the incubation period and the cases were classified as local ones.
The suspected cholera case involved a 38-year-old man living in Hung Hom. He also suffered from diarrhoea and was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital last night (August 1). He is now in stable condition.
DH had given health education to the patients' family members who were all asymptomatic. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department had disinfected the patients' homes and inspected the food premises they had patronised.
Investigations into the cases are continuing.
The spokesman said: "The best way to prevent cholera and other food-borne diseases is to observe good food, personal and environmental hygiene at all times."
Members of the public should:
To-date 14 confirmed and one suspected cholera cases were reported in Hong Kong this (2001) year. Of these, one was an imported case reported in May.