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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
In response to media enquiries on a multi-drug resistant tuberculosis case, the spokesperson of Hong Kong East Cluster (HKEC) gave the following reply today (September 16):
An 82-year-old male patient admitted to the medical ward of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) on May 27 was diagnosed to have pulmonary tuberculosis and the case had been reported to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) according to established mechanism. The patient has received treatment under isolation for more than two weeks in PYNEH and Grantham Hospital (GH), followed by directly observed treatment at the Chest Clinic of the Department of Health (DH). According to the laboratory result of DH on August 15, the patient was diagnosed to have multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. The concerned patient was arranged to be admitted to GH for further treatment by the Chest Clinic.
While awaiting admission to GH, the patient was admitted to PYNEH on August 28, due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and was put under isolation immediately. On September 11, the patient was transferred to GH for further management and he is currently in a stable condition.
PYNEH has conducted a follow-up investigation regarding the case. It was found that the patient was admitted to the male medical ward of PYNEH and Tung Wah Eastern Hospital (TWEH) between January and August for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. According to advice from experts and the prevailing infection control guidelines, HKEC has decided to commence contact tracing with the in-patients who have had close contact with the index patient during the concerned period to inform them of the exposure. It is estimated that the tracing involves approximately 76 patients from PYNEH and 30 from TWEH. HKEC has started making phone calls to the patients involved, reminding them to stay alert for any signs and symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis such as persistent cough, blood-stained sputum, loss of body weight, fever or night sweating, and advising them to seek medical consultation from a family doctor or at any nearby Chest Clinic of DH as soon as possible.
The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the CHP for necessary follow-up.
Ends/Monday, September 16, 2013
Issued at HKT 21:33
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