12 Sep 2011
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating a confirmed, imported case of Legionnaires' Disease involving a 41-year-old male tourist from the Netherlands.
The patient, with good past health, travelled to Zhanjiang for work on August 24. He presented with productive cough, fever and headache on September 4 in Zhanjiang and he was admitted to Zhanjiang Central People’s Hospital on September 8 for pneumonia.
He was transferred to Hong Kong on September 10 for further medical treatment at a private hospital in Hong Kong.
His condition was all along stable. He is now in the isolation ward of the hospital.
A urine test revealed that the patient was infected with Legionella bacteria.
Investigation continues.
This is the 10th, and the third imported, case of Legionnaires' Disease reported to the CHP this year. Twenty cases were filed in 2010, 37 in 2009, 13 in 2008 and 11 in 2007.
Information on Legionnaires' Disease and advice on prevention can be found at the CHP's website, www.chp.gov.hk .