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Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals
Hong KongHealth & Environment

Hong Kong health authorities find three new cases of rat hepatitis E infection in humans, including in elderly man who died of unspecified illness

  • Each case involved an elderly man with underlying liver function issues
  • Investigations have not been able to track down source of the infections

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Extra rat control measures will be put in place after the latest cases. Photo: Shutterstock
Danny LeeandElizabeth Cheung

Hong Kong has recorded three new cases of the rat hepatitis E infection in humans, health authorities have revealed, adding that one of the patients with an unspecified underlying illness had died.

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Tuesday night it was investigating three separate cases, each involving an elderly man with underlying liver function issue. The men lived in different districts, with one each in Kowloon City, Southern and Tuen Mun.

Kowloon City is beside Wong Tai Sin, where the two first two cases of the infection were reported in Hong Kong last year. The other districts are well apart from these two areas. The two cases last year were also the first reported in the world.

Health experts called the latest incidents “very significant”, showing transmission occurred from time to time in different parts of the city. One expert believed rat-to-human transmission was more likely than from person to person.

The Centre for Health Protection urged people to maintain personal hygiene. Photo: Handout
The Centre for Health Protection urged people to maintain personal hygiene. Photo: Handout

So far, the investigation has not been able to track down the source of the infections, but health chiefs ordered rat control measures to be stepped up in the districts.

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