Press Release

Case of fever with travel history from Qatar tested negative for Novel Coronavirus

5 November 2012

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health received a report from Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) today (November 5) of a case of fever with travel history from Qatar affecting a 26-year-old woman.

The woman, with good past health, presented with fever, sore throat with painful neck swelling over right side, and dry cough since yesterday morning. She attended the Accident and Emergency Department of PMH late last night. The woman has been admitted to the isolation ward after midnight. She did not have any symptoms and signs of pneumonia. Her chest x-ray was clear. Her current condition is stable.

Respiratory specimen taken from the woman at PMH tested negative for Novel Coronavirus associated with Severe Respiratory Disease. The patient is not a case of Severe Respiratory Disease associated with Novel Coronavirus infection.

The CHP's investigation revealed that the woman who lived in Qatar travelled from Doha to Hong Kong yesterday morning.

"The CHP is also closely liaising with the Hospital Authority to monitor the situation," a CHP spokesman said.

The spokesman advised travellers who fall sick within 10 days after visiting from affected countries should put on a mask and seek medical advice immediately, as well as report their travel history to the doctor concerned.