The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is  investigating a suspected case of botulism, the ninth case, and again stressed to the public that such injections should only be prescribed and performed by registered doctors.

Hong Kong/CIA
Hong Kong/CIA

The female patient, aged 42 with good past health, has developed swallowing difficulties and upper limb weakness since July 11. She attended the Accident and Emergency Department of United Christian Hospital yesterday and was admitted on the same day. She was found to have upper limb muscle weakness on admission.

Her clinical diagnosis was suspected iatrogenic botulism and she is currently in stable condition.

According to information provided by the patient, she had received injection to her bilateral calves for slimming purposes in a beauty premises in Shenzhen, Guangdong, on July 8 but she was uncertain whether the injection received was botulinum toxin.

“We have no evidence at this stage that patients of the eight recent cases so far had received injections in the same premises. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing,” the spokesman added.