Three oncologists infected with E. coli, had fever and diarrhea, one died within 24 hours.
Three Hong Kong Oncology Doctors Infected with E. Coli, Fever and Diarrhea, One of Them, a Younger Person with Severe Infection, Died Within 24 Hours
A Hong Kong hospital has reported an outbreak of enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) infection . On February 11, the hospital reported that three oncology doctors developed fever and diarrhoea on February 4, 6 and 10, respectively.
Among them, a doctor in his 30s had severe symptoms. Had to go to the เล่น UFABET ผ่านมือถือ สะดวกทุกที่ ทุกเวลา emergency room on February 6 , and died within 24 hours. The other two doctors had less severe symptoms. The hospital has not yet confirmed whether the infections of the three are related.
Death within 24 hours of symptom onset
According to Hong Kong media reports, the deceased doctor began to show symptoms on February 4, and when he arrived at the emergency room. He was unconscious, oxygen deprived, and had low blood pressure. He was intubated and given two types of antibiotics and oxygen, but his life could not be saved.
Severe and unusual symptoms – Experts recommend autopsy
Professor Yuen Guo-yong, an infectious disease expert from the University of Hong Kong, said cases of adults dying from E. coli infections were extremely rare, and the doctor who died was previously healthy and had no chronic diseases.
It is unusual that the time from the onset of diarrhea to death is very short, not in line with the general symptoms of the disease. So no possibilities can be ruled out, and an autopsy is recommended to find the real cause.
The hospital then tested the doctor with mild symptoms and found that he had a severe E. coli infection. While the doctor who died tested negative , possibly because he had been on antibiotics beforehand.
Dr. Wu Jia-yong, director of the Hong Kong Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention, said authorities have been working with the University of Hong Kong and hospitals to conduct a thorough investigation, not only using conventional testing but also using high-throughput sequencing technology to more accurately identify the cause of death.