Posted on 12/01/2004 7:57:22 PM PST by TexKat
Thirty children have been infected by a mystery virus in a Hong Kong hospital. Among them, one has died and six are still suffering from fever.
One child has died and more than 30 are suffering in Hong Kong’s Mingai Hospital from a mystery virus causing respiratory distress. The virus has not yet been identified.
The hospital initiated its “green emergency” response plan, and the outbreak has caught the attention of the government.
The public in Hong Kong typically holds that when a contagious disease breaks out, the health department and citizens should heighten vigilance to avoid the spread of the disease- as was done with SARS in 2002.
According to Central News Agency, since Nov. 5, children hospitalized in two rooms in the Huaiyi building of the Mingai Hospital, designed for long-term treatment of children with developmental disabilities, have had symptoms of fever and respiratory tract infection. One of the infected children died on Nov. 9. The hospital reported the incident two days later to the Health Protection Center saying that 19 children had fever and respiratory tract infections. After the outbreak was revealed, both the government and various other groups put the hospital under surveillance.
On Nov. 13 and 14, nine more children developed fever, which brought the number of infected children to 28. By Nov. 16, the total number of infected children was 30. In addition, two hospital staff members developed fevers, but soon recovered.
It is still not known what kind of virus is responsible. However, the Health Bureau, Hong Kong University and the Chinese Language University laboratories are working together to identify the bug. Test results are expected soon. Some medical experts predict that there will be more infections in the meantime.
Although similar cases of infection have occurred, the incident at Mingai hospital is still worth paying attention to, said Dr. Lao Yongle, a specialist on infectious and contagious diseases. Many children infected are in compromised situations. The infection control system of the hospital also needs to be monitored.
He Boliang, associate supervisor of the Hong Kong University Infectious and Contagious Disease Center, pointed out that the viruses that commonly cause respiratory tract infections in hospitals are usually flu virus, adenoviruses and respiratory tract related viruses, all of which can be identified via culturing. Adenoviruses have recently caused widespread respiratory tract infections, which could also be causing the outbreak at Mingai hospital.
Medical experts and the media expect the government to be on high alert and reinforce the monitoring and reporting systems in light of the current peak of contagious diseases.
PING.
Did Hong Kong have this type of problem when the Brits had it?
time again
A funny thing is that about a week ago I saw an article stating that the pathogen HAD been identified (can't remember what except that it was viral). I guess not, or maybe they decided to retract it. Bad publicity?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1281045/posts
UNDIAGNOSED RESPIRATORY DISEASE, CARE CENTER - CHINA (HONG KONG) neither SARS nor influenza
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1280835/posts
bump.
It's called Chinese Communism
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