 of the Department of Health has announced the latest figures regarding Legionnaires' disease (LD) cases on 2nd December.){kind=link}
2nd December 2024 – (Hong Kong) The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health has announced the latest figures regarding Legionnaires’ disease (LD) cases on 2nd December. The CHP is urging individuals who participated in tour groups to Foshan organised by Travel Around Limited from 7th to 17th November to contact them promptly for health assessments and medical monitoring.
Between 24th and 30th November, the CHP recorded six community-acquired cases of LD and three imported cases linked to the aforementioned tour groups.
The details of the community-acquired cases are as follows:
- A 68-year-old male patient in good health from Islands District.
- A 70-year-old female patient with underlying health issues from Kwun Tong District.
- A 67-year-old male patient with underlying conditions from Eastern District.
- A 71-year-old male patient with underlying illnesses from Wong Tai Sin District.
- A 75-year-old male patient with underlying conditions from Yau Tsim Mong District.
- A 52-year-old male patient in good health from Kowloon City District.
In light of this recent outbreak associated with Travel Around Limited’s tours, the CHP continues to encourage those who joined the Foshan tours during the specified dates to call their hotline at 2125 2372 for follow-up and medical surveillance. The hotline will be operational from 9am to 5pm until Friday, 6th December. Participants are advised to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as fever or malaise.
“Epidemiological investigations into the six community-acquired LD cases are ongoing to identify potential sources of infection and any clusters,” stated a CHP spokesperson.
As of 30th November, there have been 124 recorded cases of LD this year, compared to 121 in 2022 and 80 in 2021.
Risk factors for LD include being male, over the age of 50, a smoker, an alcoholic, or having a weakened immune system. Other contributing factors include poorly maintained water systems, residing in areas with aging infrastructure, and using hot tubs or spas. Legionella bacteria thrive in warm water (20 to 45 degrees Celsius) and can be found in various settings, including water tanks, cooling towers, and spas. Infection can occur through inhaling contaminated aerosols or handling garden soil.