Tunisian coronavirus cases monitored

May 22, 2013

The Department of Health is monitoring two new coronavirus cases reported to the World Health Organisation by Tunisia – the first confirmed cases of the disease in the country.
 
They involve a 34-year-old man and his 35-year-old sister. They developed mild respiratory illnesses and did not require hospitalisation.
 
Their 66-year-old father fell ill three days after returning from a visit to Qatar and Saudi Arabia on May 3. He was admitted to hospital, his condition deteriorated and he died on May 10. He tested negative for coronavirus.
 
The Tunisian health authority is investigating further, and close contacts of the family are being monitored.
 
Separately, a patient reported as ill earlier has died as a result of an outbreak at a healthcare facility in Saudi Arabia. To date, a total of 22 patients, including 10 deaths, have been reported in connection with the outbreak.
 
This brings the latest global number of confirmed cases of severe respiratory disease associated with novel coronavirus to 43, including 21 deaths.
 
The Centre for Health Protection will seek more information on these cases from the World Health Organisation and other health authorities.
 
No human infection with this virus has been identified so far in Hong Kong.