Hong Kong tourists with respiratory symptoms could have MERS
Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced Dec. 29 that it was investigating two suspected cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) affecting a nine-year-old boy and his six-year-old sister.
The patients, with good past health, travelled from Dubai to Hong Kong on December 27. They developed fever, sore throat and cough since December 28 and 29 respectively. The children attended the general outpatient department of a private hospital for management and were subsequently transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for isolation and treatment.
They have been in stable condition, according to press reports.
Initial investigations by the CHP revealed that they had no contact with camels or animals, or visits to health-care facilities, in Dubai. Their travel collaterals have remained asymptomatic.
The patients' respiratory specimens will be taken for preliminary laboratory testing by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch (PHLSB) of the CHP.
The CHP's investigation is continuing.
"We strongly advise travel agents organizing tours to the Middle East not to arrange camel rides and activities involving camel contact, which may increase the risk of infection. Travelers should avoid going to farms, barns or markets with camels, and avoid contact with animals (especially camels), birds, poultry or sick people during travel," a spokesman for the DH said.
"Scientific studies support the premise that camels serve as the primary source of MERS Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infecting humans.
A study further suggested that human MERS-CoV infections could be transmitted through close contact with infected camels," the spokesman explained.
"MERS is a statutorily notifiable infectious disease. No human cases have been recorded so far in Hong Kong," the spokesman said.
Whenever there is a suspected case, particularly involving patients with travel history to the Middle East, the CHP will release information to the public as soon as possible," the spokesman added.