Update on Candida auris cases at Princess Margaret Hospital
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Regarding an earlier announcement on Candida auris carrier cases, the spokesman for Princess Margaret Hospital made the following update today (December 30):
Having conducted contact tracing, two more female patients (aged 55 and 81) in a medicine and geriatrics ward of the hospital were confirmed as Candida auris carriers while not having signs of infection. The patients are now being treated under isolation and are in stable condition.
The hospital will continue contact tracing of close contacts of the patients in accordance with the prevailing guidelines. A series of enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted to prevent the spread of Candida auris:
1. Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the wards concerned;
2. Enhanced admission screening for patients and environmental screening procedures;
3. Application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene for staff and patients;
4. Application of PCR rapid testing for early identification of carriers; and
5. Application of designated equipment for patient use to avoid cross infection.
The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of the patients. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.
Ends/Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Issued at HKT 19:30
Issued at HKT 19:30
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