Chikungunya strikes 2 Hong Kong travellers as infection count rises to 70

Hong Kong has recorded two more imported cases of the mosquito-borne viral disease chikungunya involving a man and a woman who had both recently travelled to mainland China, Report informs via South China Morning Post.

The latest cases pushed the total number of confirmed infections in the city to 70 so far this year, of which four were locally acquired, the Centre for Health Protection said on Sunday.

The man, 69, lives in Yuen Long. He visited Yunnan province with three other friends between November 9 and 16.

According to preliminary investigations, the man started having joint pains on Thursday and developed a fever two days later.

According to preliminary investigations, the man started having joint pains on Thursday and developed a fever two days later.

He went to the accident and emergency department of Pok Oi Hospital and was admitted for treatment. His blood samples subsequently tested positive for the chikungunya virus.

He is now in stable condition, according to the centre.

A family member and his three travel companions are currently asymptomatic and under observation.

The woman, who is 49 years old, lives in the Kwai Tsing district. She and three family members visited Zhuhai and Zhongshan in Guangdong province between November 2 and 5.

She developed a fever, joint pain and a rash on Friday and sought help at Princess Margaret Hospital on Saturday. A blood sample tested positive for the virus.

She is in stable condition. Her family members are currently asymptomatic and under observation.