5th August 2022 – (Hong Kong) The Centre for Health Protection announced yesterday that 30 imported malaria cases had been recorded, of which a 52-year-old male patient passed away during the quarantine period. The Hospital Authority announced today (5th) that 1 more patient has passed away, and 19 patients are still hospitalised in 3 public hospitals, of which 8 are in Princess Margaret Hospital, 2 are in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and the remaining 9 are in Kwong Wah Hospital.
The authorities will now request people arriving in Hong Kong whether they have symptoms, and supplement the current availability of medicines for malaria in Hong Kong. Hospital Authority Chief Administrative Manager (Quality and Standards) Lau Ka Hin said that the second deceased 53-year-old man passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He was already in poor condition when he was admitted to the hospital, and has been hospitalised in the intensive care unit (ICU). He was admitted to to ICU on the 3rd of this month and he passed away this afternoon at 2.58pm. His cause of death has been referred to the coroner for follow-up.
The authorities have dispatched a medical team to the Hong Kong International Airport today to work with the Port Health Section of the Department of Health to screen passengers arriving from Guinea. They will immediately arrange hospitalisation for passengers suspected of being infected and with clinical needs. Lau also reiterated that the government has successfully procured the relevant medicines in response to the emergency, and public hospitals currently have sufficient medicines to provide appropriate treatment according to the clinical conditions of malaria-infected patients.
Dr.Chuang Shuk-kwan from the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, said that the malaria infected patients mainly returned from Central Africa and Guinea, and the confirmed patients live in about 5 to 6 other quarantine hotels in addition to the Silka Hotel in Yau Ma Tei. Dr.Lau continued to point out that designated beds will not be reserved for malaria-infected patients, but malaria is always a contagious disease, and admitted patients will be admitted to isolation facilities as needed. He reiterated that the transmission method of malaria is different from that of COVID-19, and it is mainly transmitted by mosquitoes, so the hospital has started to deal with mosquito control and described the implementation to the highest level. He stressed that as long as there is a supply of malaria medicines around the world, the authorities will ask for it to provide patients in need, including the mainland. As for the quantity of medicines, it will be determined according to the needs of patients. He also said that as more people returned from Africa, the authorities will buy more medicines to bring the situation under control. The Hospital Authority replied tonight that the 19 male patients currently hospitalised are aged between 25 and 56. One patient is in critical condition and the rest are in stable condition.