On Nov. 17, 2010, Hong Kong confirmed its first human infection case of the H5N1 avian influenza virus since February 2003.

A Hospital Authority spokesperson announced soon after that the flu response level at public hospitals will be raised to "serious," and that necessary infection control measures will be taken and hospital infection surveillance will be increased.

York Chow, secretary for Food and Health in the region, said earlier that day the virus was detected in a 59-year-old Hong Kong woman who had visited the Chinese mainland in late October, but it remains unknown whether it is an imported case or a local case.

The woman had visited Shanghai, Hangzhou and Nanjing with her husband and daughter from Oct. 23 to Nov. 1. She showed flu symptoms, such as coughing and fever, on Nov. 2 and was later sent to Tuen Mun Hospital, where she remains hospitalized.

By People"e;s Daily Online