4 Mar 2008
In response to media enquiries, a spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (March 4) said respiratory samples taken from a 6-year-old girl admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) on Sunday (March 2) with influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms, showed a positive result for influenza A/H3, a normal circulating strain of seasonal influenza.
Her 3-year-old sister, who also suffered from ILI symptoms, passed away on March 1. Further investigations are being conducted to confirm the cause of death.
The spokesman said the 3-year-old developed symptoms of fever, cough, runny nose and vomiting on February 29. She saw a private doctor the same day and sought medical treatment from Tuen Mun Hospital on March 1.
Her condition deteriorated and she died that night.
The spokesman said the 6-year-old girl also developed similar symptoms on February 26 and later went to a private doctor. She was admitted to Tuen Mun Hospital on March 2 and is now in stable condition.
CHP had contacted three family members of the girls and monitored their health conditions. The girls did not have any travel history or contact history with poultry.
CHP's investigation showed no unusual activity of respiratory illness in the schools attended by the girls.