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Friday, July 22, 2011

Hong Kong : Update on CHP's investigation into Legionnaires' Disease case

A report from Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection :

" The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (July 21) provided an update on its investigation into an earlier confirmed case of Legionnaires' Disease (LD) involving a 77-year-old man admitted to St Paul's Hospital.

A CHP spokesman said that preliminary laboratory results of the environmental swabs collected from the patient’s new home in Kwun Tong, including those from the kitchen and washroom wash basin, revealed the presence of Group One Legionella pneumophila. LD is usually caused by Group One Legionella pneumophila.

CHP also collected water samples from the water tank of the residential building for laboratory tests. Results are pending.

Meanwhile, water samples were taken from two cooling towers of a shopping centre in Tuen Mun frequently visited by the patient before he was infected. Laboratory results also showed the presence of Group One Legionella pneumophila.

The management of the shopping centre was requested to carry out disinfection of its cooling towers.

"The source of infection cannot be ascertained at this stage. Further investigation and laboratory testing will be carried out," the spokesman said.

The patient, who was admitted to St Paul's Hospital on July 9, was discharged on July 15 in stable condition. Culture of sputum specimen yielded Group One Legionella pneumophila. Investigation continues."

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