WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1982
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IMPORTED CASE OF CHOLERA
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A 21-YEAR-OLD MAN HAS BECOME THIS YEAR'S FIRST IMPORTED CASE OF CHOLERA AFTER RETURNING TO HONG KONG FROM A VISIT TO THE PHILIPPINES LAST WEEK.
LABORATORY TESTS TODAY CONFIRMED THAT HE HAS CONTRACTED CHOLERA OF THE EL TOR STRAIN, A DISEASE WHICH IS ENDEMIC IN SOUTHEAST ASIAN REGION.
MR MA PO LING, WHO LIVES ALONE IN A KOWLOON TONG APARTMENT, RETURNED TO HONG KONG ON THE EVENING OF MARCH 3 AFTER VISITING THE PHILIPPINES FOR 20 DAYS.
HE STARTED HAVING DIARRHOEA ON HIS LAST DAY IN MANILA AND AFTER RETURNING TO HONG KONG HE AGAIN HAD DIARRHOEA ON MARCH 5. THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS PERSISTED WITH DIARRHOEA THREE OR FOUR TIMES A DAY.
HE WAS ADMITTED TO PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL YESTERDAY FOR TREATMENT AND INVESTIGATION AND IS REPORTED TO BE IN A SATISFACTORY CONDITION.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADVISED THE PUBLIC THAT ALTHOUGH THIS IS AN IMPORTED CASE, THE PUBLIC MUST BE ON THE ALERT AT ALL TIMES TO GUARD THEMSELVES AGAINST THE DISEASE, WHICH IS PARTICULARLY PREVALENT IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.
*WE MUST KEEP UP OUR VIGILANCE BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD,
HE STRESSED.
THE SPOKESMAN URGED THE PUBLIC TO OBSERVE PERSONAL, FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE, WHICH IS RECOMMENDED BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION AS THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHOD OF PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF CHOLERA.
+CHOLERA, LIKE OTHER GASTRO-INTESTINAL DISEASE, IS TRANSMITTED THROUGH CONTAMINATED FOOD AND WATER, THE MOST DANGEROUS ITEMS OF FOOD ARE THOSE STORED AT ROOM TEMPERATURE WITHOUT COVER AND EATEN WITHOUT FURTHER COOKING, CUT FRUITS AND FOODS SOLD BY MOBILE HAWKERS, HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT SIMPLE RULES SUCH AS WASHING OF HANDS BEFORE EATING AND AFTER VISITING TOILET SHOULD BE STRICTLY OBSERVED.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT ANTI-CHOLERA VACCINE BY ITSELF IS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE EFFICACIOUS IN PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF THE DISEASE AS IT ONLY GIVES PARTIAL AND SHORT-LIVED PROTECTION TO THE INDIVIDUAL.
THREE IMPORTED CASES OF CHOLERA WERE REPORTED IN HONG KONG LAST YEAR.
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