Police have arrested a 41-year-old man after a 35-year-old woman was hospitalised with suspected botulism following a reported botulinum-toxin injection in Tsim Sha Tsui. The man was arrested on suspicion of unlicensed medical practice and possession of Part I poisons.
The woman received the injection at a residential unit on Middle Road on 17 September. The following day, she developed drooping eyelids, breathing difficulty and weakness in all four limbs before attending Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s emergency department. She required inpatient treatment and was reported to be in a stable condition.
The Centre for Health Protection described the case as suspected botulism linked to the reported injection and said the epidemiological investigation was continuing. The patient believed the person who injected her was a registered doctor, but could not confirm that person’s name or qualifications.
Police and health department personnel arrested the man in Tsim Sha Tsui on 23 September and seized five boxes of medication classified as Part I poisons. He was released on bail pending investigation and must report to police in late October.