The Centre for Health Protection today confirmed a narcotising fasciitis, or flesh-eating disease, case involving an 80-year-old Tseung Kwan O woman.

She injured her right middle finger while handling fish on December 14, and it became swollen. She was admitted to hospital the next day and underwent surgery on December 16 and 17, and is stable.

Narcotising fasciitis is a serious bacterial infection of the soft tissue which can cause death within 12 to 24 hours after infection.