Press Release

Cholera Update

November 20, 2001

The Department of Health today (November 20) 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 : "We should always be vigilant because cholera is an endemic disease."

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

The case involved a 51-year-old woman living in Kwun Tong. She is now in stable condition in Princess Margaret Hospital.

The woman suffered from diarrhoea on November 13 and was admitted to hospital the following day. She had not traveled outside Hong Kong during the incubation period and the case was classified as a local one.

The patient's home contacts were asymptomatic. Her home had been disinfected by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD). Joint investigation by DH and FEHD is continuing.

To prevent contracting the disease, the spokesman said 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 38 confirmed cholera cases were reported in Hong Kong this (2001) year. Of these, 25 were local cases and 13 were imported cases.