Girl in Hong Kong recovers from influenza AI
The Department of Health is investigating a case of a nine month old girl who has recovered from influenza A virus (H9N2) after treatment.
The Controller of Centre for Health protection (CHP), Dr. Thomas Tsang said that this was the third time H9N2 viruses, an avian influenza virus, were isolated from humans in Hong Kong.
Dr. Tsang said the baby girl, living in Tseung Kwan O, developed symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection and fever on March 4. She was admitted to the hospital on March 6 and discharged on March 9.
Dr. Tsang said that influenza A (H9N2) viruses were detected from the girl’s nasopharyngeal aspirate specimen by the CHP’s Public Health Laboratory Services Branch this afternoon.
“Further genetic sequencing is being conducted to determine if the virus is completely of avian origin,” Dr. Tsang said.
CHP investigations so far revealed that the girl did not travel outside Hong Kong recently and family members have no symptoms of influenza.
The department will inform the World Health Organization (WHO), Ministry of Health, the health authorities in Macau and Guangdong about any further findings. The public are reminded to avoid contacts with live poultry to minimize the chance of being infected with avian influenza.
Join 31,000+ subscribers
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated about all the need-to-know content in the poultry sector, three times a week.
