Update on clusters of Candida auris cases in Kwong Wah Hospital
***************************************************************
Regarding an earlier announcement on Candida auris carrier cases, the spokesperson for Kwong Wah Hospital made the following announcement today (May 27):
The hospital commenced a contact tracing investigation, which identified three additional male patients (aged 38 to 77) in the Department of Medicine and Geriatrics as carriers of Candida auris. All three show no signs of infection. One patient has since been discharged after treatment was received. The other two had already been transferred to Tuen Mun Hospital and Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs) Wong Tai Sin Hospital for treatment prior to the confirmation. Both are in stable condition. In addition, a 64-year-old male patient, who had been hospitalised in the same ward, was identified as carrying Candida auris during admission screening at TWGHs Wong Tai Sin Hospital following his transfer. He shows no signs of infection, is in stable condition, and has been discharged.
The hospital will continue the contact tracing investigation 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:
- enhance patient and environmental screening procedures;
- apply stringent contact precautions and enhance hand hygiene of staff and patients; and
- thorough cleansing and disinfection of the wards concerned.
The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.
Ends/Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Issued at HKT 19:52
Issued at HKT 19:52
NNNN