A 74-year-old local man was diagnosed with Vibrio vulnificus yesterday after being injured by a fish fin on the second toe of his left foot when swimming at Hac Sa Beach on Sunday, according to the Health Bureau’s (SSM) statement yesterday.
According to the statement, the male resident with a history of chronic illness, had chills, fever and swelling and pain in his left foot after swimming at the beach in Coloane on Sunday, and went to a hospital in the mainland the same day where he was advised to undergo surgery, which he declined, the statement said.
The man then sought treatment at the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre, where he was found to have obvious swelling and pain on his left foot. He was diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis on his left foot, the statement said, adding that he was admitted to the hospital for debridement and treatment.
Debridement is the removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue to improve the healing potential of the remaining healthy tissue.
Since treatment, the patient’s fever has subsided, and his condition is now stable although he remains hospitalised. The patient’s family members are not showing similar symptoms, the statement said.
To prevent Vibrio vulnificus infection, members of the public should clean wounds immediately and cover them properly with waterproof adhesive dressings until healed, and avoid allowing wounds to come into contact with seawater or raw seafood, the statement said.
The statement also reminds members of the public to avoid skin contact with dirty water when visiting a wet market, and be careful with sharp parts of seafood, such as fish fins, shrimp heads and crabs to prevent cuts.
Critical COVID-19 case
In addition, the Health Bureau confirmed last night one serious COVID-19 case involving a 68-year-old local man who suffers from various chronic diseases.
According to the statement, the man came down with a fever and cough on April 13. He was later admitted to the public hospital where he underwent a COVID-19 nucleic acid test. He tested positive for COVID-19.
His chest X-ray showed that he was suffering from double pneumonia, but his family members had not developed similar symptoms, the statement said.
The man was in a critical condition and on a ventilator in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the public hospital yesterday, the statement said.
The man has only been vaccinated against COVID-19 once, the statement said.
Image courtesy of histopathology-india.net
