12 more Hong Kong patients found to have infection linked to contact with freshwater fish
Five men and seven women, aged between 49 and 97, test positive for ST 283 strain of potentially deadly Group B Streptococcus infection
The Centre for Health Protection said on Friday that it had concluded testing and analysis on freshwater fish and environmental samples collected from markets and fish ponds, and no new specimens tested positive for ST 283, or serotype III sequence type 283, of the invasive Group B Streptococcus infection.
The centre said hospital surveillance data in the past two weeks showed the overall daily number of hospitalised patients infected with the bacteria remained stable despite the new cases.
The five men and seven women, aged between 49 and 97, who were admitted to hospitals mainly presented with sepsis and joint abscess.
The centre said all 91 patients developed symptoms of the disease before mid-September, and 70 of them had underlying illnesses.
Four patients with underlying illnesses died and another four were in a serious condition. Forty-three were in a stable condition and the rest had been discharged.
Group B Streptococcus is a bacteria commonly seen in the intestinal, urinary and reproductive tracts.
