Details of the case are as follows

The patient is a 68-year-old female who developed symptoms on 19 December. The patient consulted two private doctors on 19 and 23 December and was admitted to hospital on 25 December. Currently, she is in critical condition.

The preliminary epidemiological investigation revealed that the patient travelled to Shenzhen on 13 December and returned to Hong Kong on the same day. The patient did not visit any wet market or have contact with live poultry in Hong Kong during the incubation period.

It is considered that the case was infected outside Hong Kong. The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) is communicating with the health authorities of Guangdong to investigate the source of infection. The CHP is also tracing the exposed close contacts of the case.

WHO continues to closely monitor the H7N9 situation and conduct risk assessment. So far, the overall risk associated with the H7N9 virus has not changed.