Hong Kong confirms second human H7N9 case

HONG KONG – A second human H7N9 case of avian influenza A was confirmed by Hong Kong health authorities on Friday. The second case, involving an 80-year-old man, had not been in contact with any previous human confirmed case.

The Centre for Health Protection on Saturday classified the second H7N9 case as an “imported case”, as the man live in Shenzhen, China, across the border from Hong Kong.

Secretary for Food & Health Dr Ko Wing-man said the man went by taxi to Tuen Mun Hospital from Shenzhen Bay directly from the border upon his arrival in Hong Kong, and so the centre has classified it as an imported case at this stage.
The man developed fever on Friday and tested positive for the virus, but remains in stable condition. He will be transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital for isolation. His 19 contacts were all isolated in hospitals, and only one or two of them have mild upper respiratory track symptoms.

The condition of the first patient, an Indonesian domestic helper, has improved, but she is still being kept in the hospital's intensive care unit as a precaution. Seventeen of her close contacts are still under quarantine.

Dr Ko said the Centre for Health Protection is liaising closely with Mainland authorities. "We hope that with such collaboration, it could enable the Mainland authority to isolate and identify the source of infection as soon as possible."

Centre for Health Protection controller, Dr Leung Ting-hung, said more human H7N9 case may occur in the coming weeks or months as Hong Kong’s temperature continues to drop. Despite this, he said there is no evidence the virus can spread from person to person, and the outbreak risk is low.
Dr Leung appealed to the public to stay away from poultry and wet markets outside of Hong Kong, and tell doctors their travel history if they fall ill.