2004-11-25
Following is a press release jointly issued by the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority:
As at 1pm today (November 25), all 34 children affected in the outbreak of respiratory illness at the Developmental Disabilities Unit (DDU) of Caritas Medical Centre (CMC) were confirmed to be infected by parainfluenza virus type 4 (PIV4).
Meanwhile, two of the other three children who were found to have fever and respiratory infection symptoms in the DDU on November 20 were also confirmed to be infected by the same virus. Laboratory tests on sample from the other one, who developed symptoms on November 23, was negative to PIV4.
A health care worker who was on duty at the paediatrics ward last week and subsequently developed fever was also confirmed to be infected by the virus. She is now on sick leave. The laboratory tests on sample from a DDU health care worker previously admitted to CMC isolation ward was negative to PIV4 and she has already been discharged.
Ends/Thursday, November 25, 2004