Press Release

Cholera Update

September 16, 2001

The Department of Health (DH) today (September 16) reminded members of the public to be on guard against cholera following the confirmation of a cholera case in Hong Kong.

The case involved a 45-year-old woman living in Yuen Long. She developed diarrhoea on September 8. She had travelled outside Hong Kong during the incubation period and her case remained unclassified.

She was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital on September 14 and is now in stable condition.

Her family members were asymptomatic and health education was given. Disinfection work was carried out by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) at the patient's home. Joint investigations by DH and FEHD are continuing.

To prevent cholera, members of the public are advised to take the following measures:

• Clean and cook food, especially seafood, thoroughly;
  
• 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.

When travelling outside Hong Kong, members of the public should:

• Always wash hands before eating and after going to toilets;
  
• Eat only thoroughly cooked food and food fresh from sealed packs or cans;
  
• Do not eat cold dish such as salad and ice-cream;
  
• Drink only boiled water, canned or bottled drinks, pasteurised milk or dairy products;
  
• Do not add ice in drinks and do not drink fresh fruit juice prepared beforehand;
  
• Do not patronise illegal food hawkers; and
  
• Do not eat fruits that have been peeled and fruits and vegetables that are not thoroughly cleansed.

To-date 35 confirmed cholera cases were reported in Hong Kong this (2001) year. Of these, 12 were imported cases, 21 were local cases and two were unclassified.