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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for Caritas Medical Centre (CMC) made the following announcement today (July 18):
A 75-year-old male patient at a renal ward in CMC was confirmed to be suffering from Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) peritonitis on July 15. In accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines, the hospital has screened the patients who stayed in the same cubicle with the index patient in the same period and found three male in-patients (aged 61 to 86) to be carriers. The patients are in stable condition and under medical surveillance and isolation.
There are clinical guidelines in public hospitals to ensure proper use of antibiotics, including Vancomycin, and management of VRE carriers. The hospital has stepped up infection control measures according to existing procedures.
The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for follow-up.
Ends/Monday, July 18, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:29
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