Probe into ‘flesh-eating infection’ finds bacteria on shorts in Hong Kong clinic
Sample collected on shorts given to patients at traditional Chinese medicine clinic visited by man who had leg amputated after acupuncture treatment
Hong Kong authorities have found a sample of the same type of bacteria responsible for a “flesh-eating infection” that led to the amputation of a man’s left leg on a pair of shorts given to patients at a clinic he attended for acupuncture treatment.
In a reply to the Post on Wednesday, the Department of Health revealed that the Group A Streptococcus environmental sample was collected from the shorts, which the practitioner at the traditional Chinese medicine clinic in Causeway Bay said had already been washed.
The department said it had not confirmed whether the 47-year-old man had worn the shorts during his visit.
The government also confirmed that it had not received any reports of adverse reactions from other patients who received acupuncture treatment at the clinic and another the man had visited in Sheung Wan.
But it issued a letter to all Chinese medicine practitioners reminding them to pay attention to infection control measures.
Chan Wing-kwong, chairman of the Hong Kong Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioners Association, said it was too early to jump to any conclusions and the risk involved was low.