Press Release

Cholera Update

September 3, 2001

The Department of Health today (September 3) reminded members of the public to be on guard against cholera following the confirmation of a local cholera case in Hong Kong.

A spokesman for DH said that the case involved a 26-year-old woman living in Tsuen Wan District. She is now in stable condition in Princess Margaret Hospital.

The woman suffered from diarrhoea on August 24. She had not traveled outside Hong Kong during the incubation period.

All her home contacts were asymptomatic. The patient's home had been disinfected and health education had been given to her home contacts.

Joint investigation by DH and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is continuing.

The spokesman said: "The best way to prevent contracting cholera and other food-borne diseases is to observe good food, personal and environmental hygiene at all times."

Members of the public should:

• Clean food, especially seafood, thoroughly and ensure they are adequately cooked before consumption;
• Wash hands before eating and after going to toilets;
• Raw and cooked food should be handled with separate utensils;
• Keep raw and cooked food separately;
• Store food in refrigerator (at four degrees celcius or below) and adequately reheat leftover food before consumption; and
• Keep the environment clean.

To-date 19 confirmed cholera cases were reported in Hong Kong this (2001) year. Of these, one was an imported case and 18 were local cases.