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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) made the following announcement today (April 9):
A 67-year-old male patient of a medical ward in Queen Elizabeth Hospital was confirmed to be a Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) carrier on March 29. In accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines, the hospital has screened patients who had contact with the index patient. A total of three more patients (aged 49 to 79) who had stayed in the same ward were confirmed to be VRE carriers without clinical symptoms. All patients are under medical surveillance and isolation with stable condition.
The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow up.
The QEH Infection Control Team, the departments concerned and experts of the Centre for Health Protection met and decided to adopt the following enhanced infection control measures:
1. A dedicated cleansing team has provided enhanced environmental cleansing for patients carrying multiple-drug resistant organisms;
2. Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor disinfection for commonly use equipment is to be arranged;
3. Stringent contact precautions have been applied, including dedicated use of clinical items for VRE carriers and enhanced hand hygiene;
4. All VRE carriers are being treated in isolation rooms or cohort according to their clinical symptoms and treatment needs;
5. Visiting is limited to two people per patient during each visiting period.
The QEH Infection Control Team will continue to closely monitor the situation in the ward.
Ends/Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:40
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