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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) made the following announcement today (February 21):
An 82-year-old male patient in an Orthopaedics and Traumatology ward of TMH was confirmed to be a Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) carrier on February 18. The patient later succumbed due to his own underlying illness.
In accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines, the hospital has screened patients who had contact with the index patient. Seven more male patients (aged 45 to 89) have been confirmed to be VRE carriers but without clinical symptoms. One patient had succumbed due to his own underlying illness while another one had been discharged earlier. The other patients are still hospitalised under isolation and medical surveillance with stable condition.
The ward concerned has 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 hospital Infection Control Team will continue to closely monitor the situation of the ward.
Ends/Friday, February 21, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:46
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