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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
A Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) spokesperson made the following announcement today (April 2):
A 77-year-old male neurosurgical patient was confirmed as a carrier of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) on March 28. The hospital has acted according to the prevailing infection control guidelines and quarantined the patients who were staying in the same ward as the index case and also performed screening tests on these patients. After the screening exercise, so far two male patients and one female patient (aged 62 to 75) have been identified as VRE carriers, including the index case.
The three patients were placed under isolation. Their conditions are stable and there are no signs of infection due to VRE. The hospital has informed patients' relatives about the situation. The hospital has stepped up infection control measures according to existing procedures. Follow-up screening for more patients has been arranged and the results are pending. There are clinical guidelines in all public hospitals to ensure proper use of antibiotics, including Vancomycin and there are also guidelines on the management of VRE carriers.
The clustering of VRE carriers in QMH has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for follow up.
Ends/Thursday, April 2, 2009
Issued at HKT 19:28
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