Hong Kong: Additional measles case reported in one-year-old boy

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews

The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) announced today a case of measles infection, involving a one-year-old boy with good past health.

The boy developed a fever and rash since November 29. He was taken to the Accident and Emergency Department at Queen Mary Hospital on the same day for medical advice and was admitted for treatment immediately. He was discharged on November 30, and was admitted again today at Gleneagles Hong Kong Hospital for treatment.

A laboratory test of his respiratory specimen was positive for the measles virus. He is in a stable condition and has not yet received measles vaccination. He had no travel history during the incubation and communicable periods.

The patient lives with a previously confirmed case (a 38-year-old woman) announced on November 26. His other home contacts have remained asymptomatic so far and have been put under medical surveillance.

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Upon notification of the case, the CHP immediately commenced epidemiological investigations and conducted relevant contact tracing. Investigations are ongoing.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said, “Those who might have had contact with the patient during the period of communicability are urged to observe if they have developed measles-related symptoms, and to seek medical treatment immediately if such symptoms appear. If they need to visit any health care facilities during the period of medical surveillance, they should also report whether they have symptoms and prior measles exposure history to the healthcare workers so that appropriate infection control measures can be implemented at the healthcare facilities concerned to prevent any potential spread.”