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In response to media enquiries, a spokesman for the Department of Health said that an article published in a newspaper today (March 7) that a Vietnamese illegal immigrant was found to have been infected with plague was untrue.
The spokesman said a 34-year-old Vietnamese male was found unconscious by Police in a Sham Shui Po park on March 4. He was taken to Caritas Medical Centre and subsequently transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital for treatment of drug overdose. He had no signs or symptoms of plague.
Upon notification by Police about the case, staff of the department's Port Health Office conducted routine disinsection of the patient and at areas and transport facilities used by the man as a preventive measure against infectious disease.
The disinsection measures were carried out in accordance with the existing infection control procedure applying to all Vietnamese illegal immigrants who had left Vietnam for less than six days.
Ends/Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Issued at HKT 16:08
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