The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has initiated prosecution against the person responsible for Jasmine Cuisine in Homantin Plaza after inspectors found poor hygiene and rat traces at the restaurant. The department also issued a pest-eradication notice following the inspection, which was carried out after a 91-year-old care-home resident was diagnosed with rat hepatitis E.
The Centre for Health Protection said the man, who lived at Longevity Palace, developed fever and weakness on September 16 and was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Blood tests showed abnormal liver function, and testing by the centre’s public-health laboratory service confirmed rat hepatitis E. His symptoms were relatively mild, he remained stable during treatment and he was discharged on September 21. The case was classified as a local infection because he had not travelled during the incubation period, and was Hong Kong’s third reported human case of the year.
During the incubation period, the man mainly spent time at the care home and around Homantin Plaza. His family accompanied him to eat at a restaurant in the plaza once or twice a week. The health centre said he had not had direct contact with rodents, and investigators found no rodent activity at the care home.
The centre said it could not rule out indirect contact with a place or food contaminated by rodents or rodent excrement, but had not identified the source or route of the infection. His family, fellow residents and care-home staff were being monitored.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said it would strengthen cleaning, disinfection and rodent-control work in public areas near places visited by the patient while the investigation continued. The restaurant’s responsible person told HK01 that regular pest-control work had been carried out and suggested rodents might climb up from the market below. He said two or three pest-control companies had been booked for additional work, including at least two treatments during the week.
A follow-up report by i-CABLE News said Jasmine Cuisine remained open as usual.