One Hong Kong doctor dies as health authorities suspect rare E. coli infection at Princess Margaret Hospital
Hong Kong Free Press
A Hong Kong doctor has died after he was suspected to have contracted a rare E. coli infection, the city’s health authorities have said. Two other doctors working at Princess Margaret Hospital are also suspected to have contracted the illness.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) is investigating the suspected Shiga toxin-producing E. coli group infection after the death of an oncologist last Friday, the centre’s communicable disease branch head Albert Au said on Tuesday.
The stool sample of one of two other doctors who fell ill was found to be positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infection, Au told reporters during the press briefing.
Authorities are investigating whether the three doctors had consumed contaminated food or were exposed to the bacteria at the hospital, he added.
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli can cause severe foodborne disease as well as outbreaks, according to the CHP. Au did not rule out the possibility of an outbreak during Tuesday’s briefing.
Multiple local news outlets said the doctor was a male in his thirties.
The deceased suffered from a fever and diarrhoea last Tuesday and was admitted to an intensive care unit last Thursday, according to Au. He died the following day.
The two other doctors displayed mild symptoms of fever and diarrhoea, Au said, adding that the trio were not found to have eaten together recently.
Speaking at the same briefing, infectious diseases expert Yuen Kwok-yung said it was “very rare” that a healthy adult with no record of chronic disease would die suddenly following such an infection.
Yuen said more work needed to be done to identify the cause of death and he did not rule out any possibilities.
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