13 more Hong Kong patients found to have potentially deadly infection linked to fish

Patients with Group B Streptococcus found to have same ST283 strain as 27 earlier cases, Centre for Health Protection says

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Members of the public should wear gloves when touching or handling raw freshwater fish, the Centre for Health Protection says. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 12:44am, 17 Sep 2024Updated: 1:22am, 17 Sep 2024

Thirteen more patients suffering from a potentially deadly bacterial infection have tested positive for a strain linked to contact with raw freshwater fish, bringing the total to 40 cases in a month, with health authorities warning the number may rise further.

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Monday that it had found 13 more cases of ST283, or serotype III sequence type 283, among patients who were recently admitted to hospital after being infected with Group B Streptococcus.

Seven men and six women, aged between 35 and 94, had the ST283 infection, it said, adding that they mainly suffered from sepsis and joint abscesses.

“Together with the 27 cases of ST283 infection announced on September 13, this cluster involves a cumulative total of 40 patients residing in 18 districts throughout [Hong Kong],” it said.

“The CHP’s analysis of samples of other recently admitted patients is still in progress and it cannot rule out that the number of cases will further increase.”

The centre said the 40 patients’ onset date of disease was between August 8 and September 5. Thirty of them had underlying illnesses.