HONG KONG: A 40-year-old woman is Hong Kong's first case of drug-resistant swine flu, the Centre for Health Protection announced Friday.

The patient lives and works in a rehabilitation workshop in Oi Tung Estate, Shau Kei Wan, where a swine flu outbreak flared up on July 14. The woman was given Tamiflu as a preventive measure, but she still developed flu symptoms, including fever and coughing on July 20.

A group of 21 patients from the workshop were admitted to the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital for treatment and later recovered.

The woman's case is likely unique, said Controller for the Centre for Health Protection Thomas Tsang, because she has high-risk factors, such as obesity.

"It is possible that during the period she was using Tamiflu, the flu virus inside her body mutated and developed drug resistance," Tsang said.

Tsang said Tamiflu is still effective in treating swine flu.

"There is no indication that (a drug-resistant) virus is spreading. The other members of the workshop have not developed drug-resistant (strains)," he said.

But Tsang also noted that the authority would be more cautious in prescribing Tamiflu.

"We will pay close attention to the situation. We will assess whether to tighten the use of Tamiflu when there are more and more drug resistance cases," he said.

Health authorities have stockpiled 20 million doses of Tamiflu and will increase the proportion of Relenza from the current 10 percent to 15 percent of the stockpile.

Another case of drug-resistant swine flu was recorded in July in a 16-year-old patient who arrived in Hong Kong from San Francisco.

Elsewhere, Denmark, Canada and Japan have also recorded cases.

(HK Edition 08/15/2009 page1)