XN000022-1981-06-24 — Page 26

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1981

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SUSPECTED IMPORTED CHOLERA CASE

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A 54-YEAR-OLD MAN, TAKEN ILL WHILE VISITING GUANGDONG LAST WEEK, IS SUSPECTED TO BE SUFFERING FROM CHOLERA.

THE CASE IS SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION BY LABORATORY TEST,

THE RESULT OF WHICH WILL BE KNOWN TOMORROW.

INVESTIGATIONS SHOW THAT THE PATIENT, WHO IS UNEMPLOYED, VISITED CHINA ON JUNE 15 AND DEVELOPED SYMPTOMS OF SEVERE DIÁHORREA AND VOMITTING ON JUNE 20.

HE WAS TAKEN TO LO WU AND TRANSFERRED BY AMBULANCE TO QUEEN ELIZABETH HOSPITAL ON THE SAME DAY.

HE WAS LATER TRANSFERRED TO PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL WHERE HIS CONDITION IS DESCRIBED AS SATISFACTORY.

A MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT THIS IS MOST LIKELY AN IMPORTED CHOLERA CASE.

HE SAID THAT THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR ALARM, AND URGED THE PUBLIC TO TAKE ALL PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AGAINST THE DISEASE WHICH IS ENDEMIC IN SOUTH EAST ASIA.

PEOPLE SHOULD OBSERVE PERSONAL, FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL

HYGIENE.

+CHOLERA, LIKE OTHER GASTRO-INTESTINAL DISEASES, CAN BE TRANSMITTED THROUGH CONTAMINATED WATER AND FOOD. THE MOST DANGEROUS ITEMS OF FOOD ARE THOSE STORED AT ROOM TEMPERATURE AND EATEN WITHOUT FURTHER COOKING AND OTHER FOODS LIKE CUT FRUIT AND THE COOKED FOOD SOLD BY MOBILE HAWKERS, HE SAID.

SIMPLE RULES, SUCH AS WASHING OF HANDS BEFORE EATING AND AFTER VISITING TOILETS, SHOULD BE CLOSELY FOLLOWED, HE SAID.

FOOD SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY COOKED, AND, SHOULD BE WELL COVERED IF NOT EATEN.

ANTI-CHOLERA VACCINE BY ITSELF IS NOT EFFICACIOUS IN PREVENT ING THE DISEASE AND GIVES ONLY PARTIAL PROTECTION FOR A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD, HE SAID.

THERE HAVE BEEN SEVEN CASES OF CHOLERA INCLUDING ONE IMPORTED CASE IN THE PAST SIX YEARS.

THE LAST CASE WAS REPORTED IN SEPTEMBER, 1979.

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