Encephalitis case confirmed in HK

Encephalitis case confirmed in HK

HONG KONG: Hong Kong health authorities were on high alert on Thursday after a man was confirmed to have contracted Japanese encephalitis, a mosquito-borne disease that killed an Indonesian woman here two weeks ago.

Health officials said the 45-year-old man had developed fever, headache and drowsiness this month and was in a critical condition in hospital.

Speaking at a press conference, Health Department consultant Thomas Tsang did not rule out more infections in Hong Kong but played down fears that there could be an outbreak in the city.

He said there are currently 71 species of mosquitoes recorded in Hong Kong and only three of them can transmit the disease. --AFP