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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
Regarding the services of the eight Designated Flu Clinics (DFCs) and the confirmed human swine influenza patients admitted to public hospitals, the Hospital Authority (HA) spokesman provided the following updates today (August 28):
The Designated Flu Clinics today (as at 5pm) provide treatment to a total of 941 patients with flu-like symptoms.
As at 2.30pm today, there were 381 newly confirmed cases of human swine influenza in the past 24 hours. This brings to 10,849 the total number of confirmed human swine influenza cases in Hong Kong. Currently, a total of 105 confirmed cases are staying in public hospitals for treatment. Among them, 88 cases are in stable condition, seven in serious and 10 in critical condition.
The newly confirmed critical case announced today is a 47-year-old male patient in Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH). The patient attended the Accident and Emergency Department of PYNEH for flu symptom yesterday (August 27) and was then admitted to Intensive Care Unit for further management. Positive result of human swine influenza was confirmed today (August 28) and he was prescribed Tamiflu and antibiotics. The patient is on ventilation support and he has a past history of leukemia. The hospital will closely monitor his condition.
The confirmed cases included a student of Queen Elizabeth Hospital Higher Diploma in Nursing. As a precautionary measure, the 125 students in the same class will not participate in any temporary clinical duty this weekend. Medical surveillance will be conducted for all the pupils. Chemoprophylaxis will be recommended to asymptomatic pupils while rapid tests on human swine flu will be performed on symptomatic cases followed by prescription of antivirals.
Furthermore, the confirmed cases announced today included 18 staff members of public hospitals (five male and 13 female, including one doctor, five nurses, three clerical staff, two allied health professional and seven supporting staff). So far there were 330 HA staff members being confirmed as human swine influenza. Among them, 219 have already recovered and returned to work.
On the other hand, hospital records reveal that there is one more critical patient, a 76-year-old man, who has been tested positive for Influenza A (H3) and is currently under treatment in United Christian Hospital.
The HA spokesman reminded the public that HA has progressively resumed service for chronic patients with scheduled appointment at the eight designated flu clinics (DFC). Chronic patients who have been pre-scheduled for follow up at the DFCs should go to the clinics according to their date of original appointment, bringing along the appointment slip and Identity Card. Other general outpatient services such as episodic disease, injection and wound care will not be resumed at these DFCs for the time being. Patients with other illnesses are advised to seek medical treatment at other general outpatient clinics in the district or private practitioners.
Ends/Friday, August 28, 2009
Issued at HKT 19:26
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