Hong Kong's CHP has announced 3 new coronavirus cases in HK residents with two designated as locally acquired (unknown Source) and one as Close Contact (possibly local).
While the first 10 cases reported by Hong Kong (between Jan 23rd - Jan 29th) were all imported cases, since then 13 of 14 cases have been detected in local residents.First an excerpt from today's announcement, after which I'll return with a closer look at the 1st 24 cases in Hong Kong.
HP investigates three additional cases of novel coronavirus infection
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced that as of 8pm today (February 6), the CHP is investigating three additional cases of novel coronavirus infection, taking to 24 the number of confirmed cases so far in Hong Kong.
The first additional case involves a 55-year-old woman with good past health who is the wife of the patient of the 21st confirmed case. She developed sore throat since February 1 and then fever and diarrhoea since February 2. She consulted a private doctor on February 2 and sought treatment at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) on February 4. She attended PMH again on the following day and was admitted for isolation and management. Her respiratory samples were tested positive for novel coronavirus. She is in stable condition.
The CHP has immediately commenced epidemiological investigations and conducted relevant contact tracing. According to the patient's information, she works in Dongguan and returns to Hong Kong and resides in Block 1, Villa Esplanada in Tsing Yi during weekends. She came back to Hong Kong from Dongguan on January 17, and visited Tokyo in Japan with her husband from January 28 to February 1, arriving Hong Kong on February 2. Quarantine will be arranged for her other home contacts, namely her parents-in-law and domestic helper, who are asymptomatic.
The patient took a flight from Hong Kong to Tokyo on January 28 and returned from Tokyo to Hong Kong on UO651 by Hong Kong Express Airways on February 1. Passengers on board the returning flight concerned and the taxi driver who drove the patient and her husband from the Hong Kong International Airport to their home in Villa Esplanada, Tsing Yi at around 1am on February 2, the taxi driver who drove the patient from PMH to her home at around 1pm on February 4, as well as the taxi driver who drove her from her home to PMH at around 3pm on February 5, are urged to call the CHP hotline.
The second additional case involves a 63-year-old woman with good past health, who developed cough and malaise since January 26s. The patient later consulted a Chinese medicine practitioner. She consulted a private doctor on February 5 and sought treatment at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital where she was admitted for management on the same day. Her respiratory sample was tested positive for novel coronavirus. She is in stable condition.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the patient resides in Ko Mong Building, 142-146 Shau Kei Wan Road. She visited her husband who lives in Lai To Home For The Aged in Sai Wan Ho during the incubation period and after onset of symptoms. She had no travel history during the period. Her husband, as well as her son and granddaughter who live with her, are asymptomatic and quarantine will be arranged for them.
The third additional case involves a 65-year-old woman with underlying illnesses. She developed fever and cough since January 28. She consulted a private doctor on January 29 and February 1, and sought treatment from the Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) on February 5 where she was admitted for management. Her respiratory samples were tested positive for novel coronavirus. She is in serious condition.
Preliminary investigations revealed that she lives alone in Sui Shek House in Shek Mun Estate, Sha Tin and had no travel history during the incubation period. The taxi driver who drove the patient from the Hilton Plaza in Sha Tin to PWH at around 12.15pm to 1pm on February 5 is urged to call the CHP hotline.
A spokesman for the CHP said, "According to our preliminary epidemiological investigations, some of the confirmed cases are believed to be locally infected. The CHP strongly urged the public to maintain at all times strict personal and environmental hygiene which is key to personal protection against infection and prevention of the spread of the disease in the community."
(Continue . . . )
The 22nd case was in Dongguan on January 17th, and developed symptoms 15 days later - at the far end of the suspected incubation period - making it `too close to call' as to whether she is a `local case'.
The other two cases have no travel history outside of Hong Kong, and no known exposures, making them locally acquired.The case chart below shows that since January 30th, only one (of 14) cases reported by Hong Kong traveled from China. The rest are either close contacts of known cases, or community acquired. A trend which raises concerns over the silent spread of the virus in the community.
