Hong Kong Center for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health Wednesday urged the public to stay against Enterovirus-71 (EV71) infection following the confirmation of a case by laboratory test.

The patient is a 11-month-old boy who developed fever and rash over hands and feet on July 13. He was admitted to the hospital on the same day and was discharged on July 15.

CHP's investigation revealed that the boy did not have a travel history and his family members did not show any symptoms of EV71.

A total of 74 EV71 infection cases in Hong Kong have been reported to CHP so far in 2008. There were 35, 8, 16 and 12 cases in Hong Kong in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 respectively.

(Xinhua News Agency July 24, 2008)