Hong Kong woman, 74, dies from melioidosis; source under investigation
A 74-year-old Sham Shui Po woman with underlying illnesses died last Thursday after contracting melioidosis, Hong Kong health authorities said. The Centre for Health Protection is investigating the infection source, describing the case as sporadic with no link to earlier local infections.
A 74-year-old woman from Sham Shui Po with underlying illnesses has died from melioidosis, Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection (CHP) confirmed on Friday. The patient passed away last Thursday, with the cause of death still under investigation.
The woman developed a fever and a productive cough on 4 October, the CHP said. She sought emergency care at Caritas Medical Centre last Wednesday due to shortness of breath and was admitted for treatment. Her clinical diagnosis was pneumonia, and laboratory tests on clinical samples confirmed a positive reaction to Burkholderia pseudomallei, the bacterium that causes melioidosis.
The CHP is investigating the source of the infection. Preliminary epidemiological findings indicate the case is sporadic, with no information suggesting an epidemiological link to other confirmed cases previously recorded in Hong Kong.
As of yesterday, Hong Kong has recorded nine melioidosis cases this year. The CHP urged the public to maintain personal and environmental hygiene to prevent the disease, and specifically reminded high-risk groups, including the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, to avoid contact with soil or muddy water after typhoons or heavy rain to reduce the risk of infection.