Man has rare case of deadly dengue

The number of dengue fever cases in Hong Kong has reached 25 - 19 more than for the same period last year - with the discovery of a man suffering the potentially fatal haemorrhagic form of the disease.

The victim, a 46-year-old man who fell ill a day after returning from Sri Lanka, is the believed to be the first haemorrhagic case so far this year. Only five cases have been detected in Hong Kong since 1994, all of them imported.

His case has prompted another warning from the Department of Health for the public to guard against the deadly disease, which is spread by mosquitoes that bite during the day. Last week a senior health official warned that cases of dengue fever had increased to an alarming level.

The man developed fever, a cough, vomiting and diarrhoea on August 2 and was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital last Thursday with rashes, a spokesman for the Health Department said.

He added that tests confirmed the man was suffering from dengue haemorrhagic fever. The man's condition was stable last night.

Often relatively mild at first infection, further exposure - sometimes years later - to different strains of the dengue virus risks the haemorrhagic form developing.

But the spokesman said that with proper treatment, 'most patients can recover'.

Dengue spreads rapidly, with a high risk of repeated infection. Symptoms are worse in subsequent infections. Although there has been no fatal case recorded in Hong Kong, dengue haemorrhagic fever claims 1,200 lives a year worldwide, many of them children.

The spokesman advised the public to cover dustbins and containers, change water for plants at least once a week and keep all drains clear.

Last year, Hong Kong recorded 44 cases of dengue fever, including its first locally contracted cases - seven reported in Ma Wan, Lantau. This followed an outbreak with 1,200 cases in Macau the previous year, with no fatalities.