A flesh-eating bacterial disease has already killed more people in Hong Kong this year than in the previous two years combined, a newspaper report said Friday, dpa reported. Five people have died so far this year from the disease, which mainly affects the elderly and chronically ill, compared with one death in all of 2010 and two in 2009, the South China Morning Post said. Sixteen people with the disease have been admitted to public hospitals this year against 11 admissions for the whole of 2009. The disease is caused by two bacteria - Vibrio vulnificus and group A streptococcus. Vibrio vulnificus is from the same family as cholera while group A streptococcus can cause scarlet fever in children. Doctors said the surge in cases coincided with an outbreak of scarlet fever, which has infected more than 830 people this year against 128 last year and 187 in 2009. University of Hong Kong microbiologist professor Ho Pak-leung said the two diseases were periodic and in recent years the number of infections had peaked more frequently. "It is probably because a large part of our population has not been exposed to the bacteria before and so does not have the antibodies," he said. Most of the flesh-eating infections, which can kill a patient in 12 to 24 hours, began in limb injuries. "If the wounds turn black or become unbearably painful, one should see a doctor immediately," Ho said. "Some people who died only went to the doctor after two to three days, leading to a delay in treatment." -- SPA
