Lawmaker challenges the chief executive over 'imported' virus as number of infections hits 43
Three more people were struck down by measles yesterday as public hospitals stepped up precautions for a possible outbreak after a hospital worker was confirmed to have been infected.
The latest report by the Centre for Health Protection pushed the total number of cases to 43 this year, with 21 of the afflicted working at Hong Kong International Airport.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, meanwhile, insisted the situation was "under control" and rejected a lawmaker's criticism that loopholes in the city's immigration policy were to blame for the measles infections at the airport.
Lam did say the authorities would consider doing more to prevent the spread of the disease from migrant workers.
The three new cases involved two airport workers and the father of a baby who had been infected.
The first case was a 45-year-old airport security guard with a good health record, but an unknown vaccination history. She sought medical attention on Monday after developing a fever and rash. She had not travelled during the incubation period or the communicable period and was in stable condition in Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung.
The second was a 31-year-old airport baggage handler, who developed a fever, headache and muscle pain on March 26 and a rash on March 30. He was reported to have had a measles vaccination and had travelled to Cambodia during the incubation period and the communicable period. He was in stable condition yesterday.
The third case was a 27-year-old man who had been admitted to Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin on Monday. He was healthy and had not travelled, but his eight-month-old son was found to be infected with measles on March 27.
Dr Raymond Lai Wai-man,the Hospital Authority's chief infection control officer, said the authority had asked public hospitals to step up preventive measures after a radiographer at Princess Margaret Hospital was confirmed to be infected.
The 23-year-old was probably infected by an airport worker who had a chest X-ray at the hospital on March 16 after developing measles symptoms, according to Dr Vivien Chuang, the chief manager of infection, emergency and contingency for the Hospital Authority. The radiographer had contact with 45 patients, she said. Six would need follow-ups - to take blood tests and vaccines if necessary - and the rest were considered unlikely to have been infected.
Lai said a measles outbreak at Princess Margaret was unlikely, and none of the people the radiographer had come in contact with had symptoms of the highly contagious disease.
Lai said the authority had given vaccines to 688 hospital workers as of yesterday.
At a question-and-answer session in the Legislative Council yesterday, medical sector lawmaker Dr Pierre Chan asked the chief executive whether the government would require migrant workers to undergo body checks or make declarations about their health before they are allowed into the city.
"It is obvious the virus was imported, meaning there are loopholes in Hong Kong's immigration policy," Chan said.
But Lam rejected the claim.