2009-08-26
A spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) said there had been 333 newly confirmed cases of human swine influenza (HSI) (Influenza A H1N1) in the 24 hours to 2.30pm today (August 24). Two of the cases were from two elderly homes in Lam Tin and Yuen Long.
The new cases involve 176 males and 157 females, aged between five months and 93 years.
This brings to 10,089 the total number of human swine influenza cases in Hong Kong. The spokesman said that the total number of HSI cases might be revised according to further laboratory results.
Of the two HSI cases at the elderly homes, the elderly home concerned in Lam Tin involved an 93-year-old woman. She was admitted to United Christian Hospital on August 25 and her current condition is stable.
Another elderly home in Yuen Long involved a 75-year-old man. He was hospitalized in Tuen Mun Hospital on August 25. He is now in stable condition.
DH staff had visited the two institutions and provided health advice, the spokesman said.
"There is no influenza-like illness outbreak in the institutions and Tamiflu has been given to the staff and close contacts of the patients as chemoprophylaxis.
"The department will keep the staff and residents of the elderly homes under medical surveillance," he said.
Ends/Wednesday, August 26, 2009