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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital made the following announcement today (October 9):
Three female babies (aged 23 days to 53 days) in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit have been infected with Drug Resistant Acinetobacter species since August 30. Out of these cases, two of them are Multi-drug Resistant Acinetobacter cases. They are being put on antibiotics treatment under isolation and are now in stable condition.
Acinetobacter is a bacteria which is commonly found in water and soil. It can also "colonise" or live in a patient without causing infection or symptoms. Acinetobacter poses very little risk to healthy people and do not cause disease most of the time. However, it may sometimes cause disease in patients with a weakened immune system. Effective antibiotics are available for treatment. Careful attention to infection control procedures, such as hand hygiene and environmental cleaning, can reduce the risk of transmission.
The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection (CHP). The Hospital Infection Control Team, the department concerned and experts of the CHP held a meeting and the following enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit:
1. Stringent contact precautions have been applied, including dedicated use of clinical items to affected patients and enhanced hand hygiene;
2. Environmental cleaning has been enhanced;
3. Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor disinfection for commonly used equipment is to be arranged;
4. All affected patients are being treated in isolation rooms or cohort according to their clinical symptoms and treatment needs; and
5. Visiting is limited to two people per patient during each visiting period.
The Hospital Infection Control Team will continue to closely monitor the situation of the unit.
Ends/Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Issued at HKT 19:08
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