THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1979
ANOTHER CHOLERA CASE DISCOVERED
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ANOTHER CASE OF CHOLERA, INVOLVING A 74-YEAR-OLD WOMAN, HAS BEEN DETECTED.
THE WOMAN, MADAM TSANG LIN, WHO LIVED ALONE IN A TENEMENT BUILDING IN CHEUNG SHA WAN, KOWLOON, WAS ADMITTED TO QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL ON SEPTEMBER 10.
SHE WAS SUFFERING FROM GASTROENTERITIS WITH SYMPTOMS OF DIARRHOEA AND VOMITTING AND SHE DIED THE NEXT DAY.
POST-MORTEM RECTAL SWAB REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF CHOLERA VIBRIO OF THE EL TOR STRAIN.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT THERE WAS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THIS CASE AND THE TWO EARLIER CASES WHICH OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 7 AND 8.
HE SAID THERE WAS NO DANGER OF A LOCAL SPREAD OF THE DISEASE IF THE PUBLIC CONTINUED TO TAKE ALL PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES TO ENSURE PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANLINESS.
+CHOLERA EL TOR IS ENDEMIC IN THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN REGION AND, THEREFORE, THE OCCURRENCE OF SPORADIC CASES IN HONG KONG IS NOT UNEXPECTED, HE ADDED.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID CONTROLLED MEASURES HAVE BEEN CARRIED OUT BY HEALTH PERSONNEL OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH AND URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENTS IN ALL THE AFFECTED PREMISES.
THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL ISSUE A WEEKLY RETURN OF CHOLERA CASES TO KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED OF THE SITUATION.
AS REGARDS CHOLERA VACCINATION CERTIFICATES FOR TRAVELLING PURPOSES, THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT MOST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD DO NOT REQUIRE THE PRODUCTION OF THE CERTIFICATES EVEN FOR TRAVELLERS FROM INFECTED AREAS.
HOWEVER, AS A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES MAY IMPOSE SUCH REQUIREMENT AT THE IR OWN DISCRETION, INTENDING TRAVELLERS ARE ADVISED TO CHECK WITH THE PORT HEALTH OFFICES OR THEIR RESPECTIVE AIRLINES,
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