**********************************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for New Territories West Cluster made the following announcement today (January 13):
A 70-year-old male patient in a Medicine and Geriatrics Ward of Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) was confirmed to be infected with Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) on January 4. The patient is still hospitalised under medical surveillance and isolation. He is now in serious condition due to his underlying illness. In addition, a 79-year-old female patient in a Medicine and Geriatrics Ward of Pok Oi Hospital (POH) was confirmed as a VRE carrier on January 10. The patient is still hospitalised under medical surveillance and isolation. She is in serious condition due to her own underlying illness.
In accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines, the two hospitals have screened patients who had contact with the index patients. In TMH, two more male patients (aged 59 and 84) were confirmed to be VRE carriers but without clinical symptoms. One of the patients was still hospitalised under medical surveillance and isolation with stable condition, whereas another patient had passed away due to his underlying illness.
In POH, two more female patients (aged 84 and 89) were confirmed to be VRE carriers but without clinical symptoms. The two patients are still hospitalised under medical surveillance and isolation with stable condition.
The above wards concerned have adopted the following enhanced infection control measures:
1. Enhanced hand hygiene and stringent contact precautions have been applied;
2. Enhanced attention to contamination-prone procedures; and
3. Enhanced disinfection and cleaning of the ward concerned.
The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up. The Infection Control Teams of the two hospitals will continue to closely monitor the situation of the wards.
Ends/Monday, January 13, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:28
NNNN
