After Dongwang was the first to report that a number of people have been infected with melioidosis in Hong Kong in recent months, the Department of Health did not announce until yesterday (12th) that a total have been registered this year. of 29 human cases of melioidosis. Au Ka-wing, chief of the Infectious Diseases Division of the Center for Health Protection, said this afternoon (13) that the number of melioidosis cases in Hong Kong this year had increased from 17 cases last year, but stressed that this is an endemic disease and there are some related cases every year.
Au Ka-wing pointed out that after the epidemiological investigation by the authorities, it emerged that there were 15 recently confirmed cases. The patients all lived in the Sham Shui Po area, and their related symptoms were similar to those of the cases. It is excluded that the patient has been in the same place or restaurant, and no connection was found between the confirmed patients. It is estimated that the patient may have been exposed to sewage with the virus in the area.
Ou also pointed out that cases of melioidosis are bacterial infections, with an average of about 10 cases per year over the past five years.The virus can exist in the environment, such as soil and wastewater, and can also spread easily from the terrain after wind and rain. He also recalled that older people with chronic illnesses are more susceptible to melioidosis.Among the cases of Sham Shui Po, many patients were chronically ill, with an average age of around 70, and developed pneumonia and sepsis after hospitalization. .
