Three fever cases also found to be common cold virus

The following is jointly issued by the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority:

Tests conducted by the Public Health Laboratory Centre under the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health on nasal specimens of the three fever cases reported yesterday (January 30) in Caritas Medical Centre (CMC) yielded positive for Rhinovirus, a common cold virus, today (January 31).

The results were the same as that of the upper respiratory tract infection cases which occurred in Caritas Lok Yan School earlier in January, showing that these cases were related.

As at today, a total of 9 children (5 males and 4 females aged from 3 to 15) were found to have fever, runny nose and cough symptoms between January 19 and 30. All of them are in stable condition. They are residents of CMC's Developmental Disabilities Unit which provides long term residential care for severely mentally handicapped children. Eight of them attended Caritas Lok Yan School which is now closed for holiday.

The 4 School staff who had fever and mild upper respiratory symptoms earlier have recovered.

Rhinovirus is one of the common viruses causing common cold. Symptoms are mild, which may include runny nose, sneezing and throat irritation, with or without fever. The incubation period ranges from 12 hours to 5 days, usually around 2 days. The illness lasts for two to seven days.

The CHP and Hospital Authority have been liaising closely to monitor the situation.


Ends/Monday, January 31, 2005