CHP announces no new confirmed melioidosis infection cases today

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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (October 22) said that no new confirmed melioidosis infection cases had been recorded today. The CHP will continue to strengthen its surveillance work in view of the melioidosis cases in recent months. Members of the public should maintain personal and environmental hygiene at all times and seek medical advice promptly if they develop symptoms.

The CHP continued to collect environmental samples in Sham Shui Po in the past two days in order to follow up on infection cases in the district. All 62 environmental samples tested PCR negative to Burkholderia pseudomallei by the Department of Microbiology of the University of Hong Kong.

A spokesman for the CHP reiterated that person-to-person transmission and animal-to-human transmission are rare, but may occur through contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person. Melioidosis bacteria can survive in the local environment and melioidosis cases have been recorded in Hong Kong each year. According to literature, infection cases are more common after typhoons or storms. The bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei of melioidosis in the soil and muddy water may become exposed to the ground after typhoons or storms, and the bacteria would spread easier with strong wind or storms. As such, the number of melioidosis cases may increase.

For more information on melioidosis, please visit the website of the CHP at www.chp.gov.hk/en/healthtopics/content/24/101110.html.

Ends/Saturday, October 22, 2022
Issued at HKT 19:38

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