The Health Bureau (SSM) announced in a statement last night that two critical cases of meningitis caused by group B streptococcal infection were recorded in Macau earlier this month.
The statement quoted Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) as saying that Hong Kong has reported a total of 40 cases of group B streptococcal infection over recent weeks. The statement noted that some of the patients in Hong Kong had been exposed to or had handled raw freshwater fish before the onset of the disease, while some of them had eaten freshwater fish that had not been thoroughly cooked.
The first patient announced by last night’s SSM statement is a 76-year-old local man who came down with a fever, headache and muscle pain on September 3. He sought treatment at the public Conde de São Januário Hospital Centre on Sunday last week where he was hospitalised and was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis caused by group B streptococcal infection.
Last night’s statement said that the man was still in a critical condition.
The statement said that before his hospitalisation, the man had regularly bought freshwater fish from wet markets and prepared them for cooking.
According to the statement, the second patient is a 49-year-old local housewife who came down with a fever, headache and muscle pain on September 3. She sought treatment at the public hospital on September 7 where she was hospitalised and was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis caused by group B streptococcal infection.
Last night’s statement said that the woman was still in a critical condition.
However, the statement said, the woman does not buy or prepare freshwater fish for cooking, and neither does she eat raw fish.
Image courtesy of MDPI
