Medical experts in Hong Kong have been unable to identify a
respiratory illness affecting children. Doctors at the Caritas
Medical Center in Kowloon said two of 30 admitted patients showed
signs of respiratory tract infection, whilst another six were
suffering from fever.
"Infection-control measures have been stepped up at
the hospital and medical staff at laboratories in the Center for
Health Protection, local universities and the Department of Health
are conducting tests to identify the source of the virus," said
Hospital Authority Chief Executive
William Ho, who visited the patients on Tuesday.
Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food York Chow Yat-ngok
refused to say if the mystery illness was a new virus.
He said it "could be related" to an existing disease?that
is prone to attacking children and patients with weaker
immunity.
Health officials placed a green code warning around the hospital
in the Sham Shui Po district and isolated the affected ward.
The hospital has also closed its pediatric wards to new
admissions, and visitors are required to wear protective gear and
subject to other restrictions.
The health chief urged citizens to be vigilant about their
health during the peak flu season, adding that students with
respiratory illnesses or fever should not go to school.
Meanwhile, consultant doctor at the Center for Health Protection
Thomas Tsang Ho-fai, revealed on a local radio program that two
people who had been in touch with infected children had also shown
symptoms of fever.
However, Ho said they had recovered quickly, indicating that the
virus was "not very strong."
"Results of gene and virus tests will be available in about one
or two days," he said.
Ho also told local radio that he did not rule out the
possibility of some more cases in the coming days, but said the
peak period of the infection had passed.
(China Daily November 17, 2004)