A second luxury retailer in Harbour City has been affected in Hong Kong’s measles outbreak, with a 32-year- old male staff member diagnosed on Sunday.

The patient worked at the Bulgari store on Canton Road, adjacent to the Gucci store where six staff were infected earlier this month.  

A spokesman for Harbour City shopping centre said management was told of the infection on Monday evening.

“It is premature to speculate if the disease had spread from [the Gucci store]. The man told us that he believed he had not contacted any measles patients.”

Centre management is increasing the frequency of cleaning of the mall’s common areas as a precaution.

In a statement released last evening, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) said the patient was at the store from May 21 to 25, during the incubation period when the disease is communicable.

The man had good past health, but developed fever and a runny nose since May 23 and a rash since May 25. He sought medical advice from a general practitioner on May 26 and was referred to the Accident and Emergency Department at Princess Margaret Hospital for treatment and admission on the same day.

According to the patient, he did not have contact with measles patients during the incubation period. His home contacts have remained asymptomatic so far and have been put under medical surveillance.

The CHP says it has commenced epidemiological investigations and conducted relevant contact tracing and investigations are ongoing.

“Those who might have had contact with the patient during the period of communicability are urged to observe if they have developed measles-related symptoms, and to seek medical treatment immediately if such symptoms appear. If they need to visit any health care facilities during the period of medical surveillance, they should also report whether they have symptoms and prior measles exposure history to the healthcare workers so that appropriate infection control measures can be implemented at the healthcare facilities concerned to prevent any potential spread.”

Hong Kong’s measles outbreak has so far infected 75 people this year – compared with just 15 for the whole of last year. The first outbreak occurred at the city’s airport where about 850 staff were vaccinated before the DH announced the outbreak had been contained.