Source:
https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1328732/hong-kong-records-first-cholera-case-year
Hong Kong

Hong Kong records first cholera case of the year

An electron microscope image of Vibrio cholerae bacteria, which infect the digestive system.

A Hong Kong woman has contracted cholera – the first such case confirmed in the city this year, the Centre for Health Protection said.

The woman, 54, remained in an isolation ward of Princess Margaret Hospital in a stable condition on Thursday. She has suffered from vomiting and diarrhoea since Monday.

The centre said the woman from Kwai Tsing had no recent travel history and health officers were still investigating how she contracted the disease.

They were also monitoring the condition of her 32-year-old son, who has had diarrhoea since Monday. He too was admitted to hospital on Wednesday.

Laboratory tests on Thursday showed that culture in the woman’s stool specimen yielded Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa, the bacterium causing cholera.

The disease is an infection of the small intestine, with main symptoms being diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking water or eating food that has been contaminated by the feces of another infected person.

The centre urged people to observe strict hygiene measures whether they are in Hong Kong or travelling abroad

This is the first case of cholera reported this year. There were two imported cholera cases in 2012 as well as one imported and one local case in 2011.

The Hong Kong Medical Association has urged authorities to act quickly to discover how the woman from Kwai Tsing contracted cholera