30 January, 2005
The following is jointly issued by the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority:
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is liaising closely with the Hospital Authority (HA) in the investigation into fever cases involving 3 children in Caritas Medical Centre (CMC).
It was reported that 1 boy and 2 girls, aged between 3 and 7 developed fever and runny nose symptoms from January 28 to 30. The children are staying in the Developmental Disabilities Unit located on the fourth floor of CMC. DDU provides long term residential care for severely mentally handicapped children. The school they are attending, the Caritas Lok Yan School, has started the New Year holidays.
CHP and HA are investigating whether these fever cases are related to the outbreak of upper respiratory tract infection in the School earlier this month.
On receiving the report today, the CHP has been liaising with the hospital management to conduct an investigation and put all exposed child residents and staff under medical surveillance. Advice was given on the cohorting of exposed child residents.
Laboratory tests on specimens collected from patients are in progress.