Updates on COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong East Cluster
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The spokesperson for Hong Kong East Cluster made the following announcement today (July 21):
Following the announcement yesterday (July 20) about a preliminarily positive case of COVID-19 infection in a surgical ward, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) has continued to follow up on the 10 patients who had stayed in the same cubicle with the patient concerned. The COVID-19 test results were negative for all five patients who are still in the hospital. The patients concerned have been transferred to Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms (AIIRs) for isolation and surveillance.
The other five patients had been discharged earlier. One of them is a 41-year-old male patient who reported persistent fever after discharge and was immediately admitted yesterday to an AIIR for isolation. His nasopharyngeal swab specimen preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19. The hospital has reported the result to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) and will follow up closely with the CHP on the condition of the other discharged patients.
PYNEH has conducted thorough cleaning and disinfection in the ward concerned. All staff members and patients have been reminded to follow strengthened infection control measures and observe hand hygiene.
In addition, a 79-year-old female patient (case number: 1956) sought medical treatment in Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 19 and her test for COVID-19 was confirmed as positive yesterday. The patient was admitted to Ruttonjee and Tang Shiu Kin Hospitals (RTSKH) for colonoscopy on July 16 and was discharged on the same day.
Thorough cleaning and disinfection at the Combined Endoscopy Unit and a day ward (B6) was completed yesterday. The Infection Control Team of RTSKH is working closely with the CHP for close contact tracing. After assessment, no staff members has been classified as a close contact as all staff concerned were equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment. The hospital has communicated with 10 female patients who stayed in the same day ward with the infected patient on July 16, and eight of them require quarantine arrangements.
Ends/Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Issued at HKT 20:12
Issued at HKT 20:12
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