Hong Kong health officials are reporting four locally transmitted dengue fever cases, the first of the year.

Hong Kong/CIA
Hong Kong/CIA

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) investigation includes the following:

The first case involves a 17-year-old male patient with good past health, who developed fever, sore throat, myalgia and arthralgia since August 7. He was admitted to Hong Kong Baptist Hospital on August 12 and has developed skin rash over left lower limb after admission. He has all along been in a stable condition and his blood sample tested positive for dengue virus upon laboratory testing.

Initial inquiries revealed that the patient lives in Highland Park in Kwai Tsing District. The patient had no travel history during the incubation period. He frequently visited Sai Tso Wan Recreation Ground in Lam Tin for baseball game and claimed that a lot of mosquitoes were present at the site. However, he did not recall any mosquito bites.

His home contacts have remained asymptomatic and have been put under medical surveillance.

Officers of the CHP have conducted site visit and field investigations by questionnaire surveys at the patient’s residence. A health talk has been held jointly with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today at the Property Management Office of Highland Park to deliver health advice.

Aedes aegypti/CDC
Aedes aegypti/CDC

The second case involves a 78-year-old male patient with underlying illnesses, who developed fever, headache, cough and shortness of breath since August 2. He was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital on August 4. He has all along been in a stable condition and his blood sample tested positive for dengue virus upon laboratory testing.

Initial inquiries revealed that the patient lives in Kwai Shing West Estate in Kwai Tsing District. The patient had no travel history during the incubation period. He frequently visited Clear Water Bay Second Beach for swimming and recalled mosquito bites there.

His home contact has remained asymptomatic and has been put under medical surveillance.

The third case involves an 84-year-old female patient with underlying illnesses, who developed dizziness, fever, headache and arthralgia since August 7. She was admitted to St John Hospital on August 8 and was subsequently transferred to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital for further management on August 10. She has all along been in a stable condition and her blood sample tested positive for dengue virus upon laboratory testing.

Initial inquiries revealed that the patient lives in Hill Side Road in Cheung Chau. The patient had no travel history during the incubation period. She mainly stayed at home and did not recall any mosquito bites.

Her home contacts have remained asymptomatic and have been put under medical surveillance.

The fourth case involves a 76-year-old female patient with underlying illness, who developed dizziness, myalgia and unsteady gait since August 8. She was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital on August 10 and was noted to have fever and skin rash after admission. She has all along been in a stable condition and her blood sample tested positive for dengue virus upon laboratory testing.

Initial inquiries revealed that the patient lives in Tsui Chuk Garden in Wong Tai Sin. She did not recall any mosquito bites. Separately, the patient went hiking at Lion Rock Park and a market near Fung Wong San Tsuen daily.

Her home contacts have remained asymptomatic and have been put under medical surveillance.

“We are working closely with the FEHD to assess and prevent any possible spread of infection. The FEHD’s vector investigations, surveillance and control will follow. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Home Affairs Department and Hong Kong Baseball Association have also been informed for follow-up. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing,” a spokesman for the CHP said.

“In addition, the CHP will conduct site visits to the patients’ home and carry out active case finding for the second to fourth cases tomorrow. Joint health talks will also be arranged with the FEHD near the residence of the three cases,” the spokesman said.

Persons who have been to the vicinity of Sai Tso Wan Recreation Ground, Highland Park, Kwai Shing West Estate, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Hill Side Road, Tsui Chuk Garden, Fung Wong San Tsuen and Lion Rock Park with DF symptoms should call the CHP’s hotline (2125 1122) operating from 6pm to 9pm today and 9am to 5.45pm tomorrow onwards for laboratory investigation or referral as appropriate.

“We have informed the Guangdong and Macau health authorities and will issue letters to local doctors and hospitals to alert them to the latest situation,” the spokesman added.