Saudi boy with Sars-like virus in Hong Kong's QM Hospital
Four-year-old who flew into Hong Kong from Saudi Arabia is being treated in Queen Mary Hospital as officials await test results
A four-year-old boy visiting Hong Kong from Saudi Arabia is sick in Queen Mary Hospital with a Sars-like virus suspected to be the same one that emerged in the Middle East last month.
The city's health authorities received a report from Ruttonjee Hospital yesterday that it was handling a suspected case of severe respiratory disease associated with the novel coronavirus, a spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection said.
The youngster was admitted to the emergency unit yesterday suffering a fever, cough and vomiting, the spokesman said. He was later transferred to Queen Mary Hospital and is being kept in isolation. His condition last night was described as stable.
The centre's investigation showed the boy had arrived from Jeddah with his father on Wednesday. His father had a fever on Friday but later recovered. The centre said it was "closely liaising" with the Hospital Authority to monitor the situation.
City officials had been taking precautions to pick up any cases of the disease. The centre said a respiratory specimen had been taken for testing and results were expected in 48 hours.