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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) made the following announcement today (March 31):
A 75-year-old female patient in a medical ward of PMH was confirmed to be a Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) carrier on March 26. The patient is now isolated and under medical surveillance with stable condition.
In accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines, the hospital has screened patients who had contact with the index patient and confirmed two more patients (one male and one female, aged 45 and 69 respectively) to be VRE carriers without clinical symptoms. The female patient is still hospitalised under isolation and medical surveillance in stable condition, and the other patient had been discharged.
The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection. The hospital has stepped up the following infection control measures in the ward concerned:
1. Enhancing disinfection and cleaning of the ward concerned;
2. Enforcing stringent compliance with hand hygiene practices among health-care workers and stringent contact precautions;
3. Reminding staff to pay special attention to procedures with high risk of cross-transmission; and
4. Reminding patients to observe good personal hygiene, wash hands thoroughly before eating or medication and after using the toilet.
The Hospital Infection Control Team will continue to closely monitor the situation.
Ends/Monday, March 31, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:15
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