(1 Aug 2005)
1. Wide of Hong Kong Department of Health news conference
2. Various of government officials
3. Reporter taking notes
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dr Lam Ping-yan, Director of Health Department:
"They have examined about thirty patients, and the clinical science and symptoms are fully compatible with streptocuccus suis infection. Some of these cases were, of course, confirmed by laboratory examination and, as far as clinical science and symptoms are concerned, they are fully explicable by streptococcus suis infection. And so no indication that they are suffering from a co-infection at the same time."
5. Pan from screen to officials talking
6. Wide of reporters
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dr York Chow, Secretary for Department of Health, Welfare and Food:
"We have decided to put Streptococcus suis infection as a notifiable disease and starting from tomorrow (2 July), this would allow us to monitor the situation in Hong Kong, and also to follow up on any of the patients who might be infected, so that we can trace the possible way of transmission and whether it is related to any particular pig or pork."
8. Government officials
9. Wide of news conference
STORYLINE:
Hong Kong's health chief disagreed with the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday, saying an outbreak that has killed 34 farmers in southwest China has appeared to be caused solely by a pig disease - not a combination of bacteria or toxins.
Hong Kong Department of Health director Lam Ping-yan told reporters that Hong Kong experts who have examined 30 cases in Sichuan province have concluded that the only cause of illness seemed to be a bacteria called streptocuccus suis, commonly found in pigs.
"They are fully explicable by Streptococcus suis infection. And so no indication that they are suffering from a co-infection at the same time," Dr Lam said.
He added that the city's team of three experts who visited Sichuan found no signs of other sources of infection. Lam said that the experts examined 30 cases and that this was a large enough sample to draw conclusions from.
York Chow, the Secretary for Department of Health, Welfare and Food disagreed with WHO spokesman Bob Dietz, who warned earlier on Monday that a combination of factors might have caused the outbreak, with a total 181 confirmed or suspected cases.
Chow said that, starting Tuesday, Hong Kong doctors would be legally required to report new cases of streptococcus suis.
"We have decided to put streptocuccus suis infection as a notifiable disease and starting from tomorrow (2 July), this would allow us to monitor the situation in Hong Kong," Chow said.
Symptoms include nausea, fever, vomiting, and bleeding under the skin.
Last week, Hong Kong reported two cases of streptococcus suis, bringing the city's total to 11 since May 2004.
Recent patients said they had not travelled to China's infected areas and had no contact with pigs.
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