[editing is mine]
December 03, 2013
Beijing:
Hong Kong will quarantine 17 people after the city confirmed its first
human case of the deadly H7N9 bird flu, officials said on Tuesday.
The
17 are mostly relatives of the employer of a 36-year-old Indonesian
domestic helper, who is in critical condition in a Hong Kong hospital
after a visit to mainland China.
They were all taken to hospital for observation.
"If
those who had been in close contact (with the patient) don't have
symptoms, we will later arrange for them to enter quarantine
facilities," health minister Ko Wing-man told a press conference.
"Tonight,
five people who were in close contact and do not show signs of
infection will enter the quarantine," Ko said, adding that they will be
held until 10 days after their last contact with the carrier.
A
government statement later said all 17 people had tested negative for
the virus, but would be sent to a holiday village in the seaside town of
Sai Kung "for medical surveillance".
The Indonesian domestic
helper had a history of travelling to the mainland city of Shenzhen,
just across the border with Hong Kong, and coming into contact with live
poultry, Ko said on Monday.
"She has a history of travelling to Shenzhen, buying a chicken, slaughtering and eating the chicken," Ko said.
She was admitted to hospital on November 27 after developing a cough and shortness of breath.
The city has suspended imports of live poultry from Shenzhen and escalated its flu contingency plan to "serious".
"At
this point, we reckon it could be an imported case, but the government
will continue to follow this up with full effort," said Hong Kong Chief
Executive Leung Chun-ying.
In all, 137 human cases of H7N9 have
been reported in mainland China since February with 45 deaths, according
to the World Health Organisation.
Continued: http://www.timesofoman.com/News/Article-26555.aspx
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