The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesman for Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) made the following reply today (July 13) regarding The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced the detection of Legionella in water samples taken from PMH:

     In response to a 39-year-old male patient who had stayed in the high dependency unit of the Neurosurgery Department and the Intensive Care Unit of PMH was confirmed to have Legionnaires' Disease (Serogroup 1), CHP visited PMH in late June for collecting water and environmental samples for testing. The preliminary test result showed there are four out of 25 water samples collected from Neurosurgery high dependency unit and Intensive Care Unit are tested positive for Legionella (Serogroup 1). 15 other environmental samples are tested negative for Legionella (Serogroup 1). 

     The hospital is very concerned about the issue and co-operating with CHP to investigate the source of infection. The hospital has implemented a series of measures to protect the health of patients and staff, including the arrangement of thorough cleaning and disinfection of relevant water supply system in the wards concerned from late June to now. CHP has conducted environmental sampling afterwards.

     The hospital has conducted contact tracing investigation in accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines. No concerned patient has been reported of Legionnaires' disease so far. The hospital has already followed the CHP's advice and implemented a series of follow-up measures, including:
     

1. installing bacterial filters for related water faucets in high risk wards of the same building; and
2. providing extra boiled or bottled distilled water and body wipes to related wards for patients requiring hygienic or oral care on their own.

     The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office according to established guidelines. The hospital will also cooperate with the CHP to investigate the case. In addition to the above precautionary and improvement measures, the hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of patients in the hospital.

Ends/Monday, July 13, 2026
Issued at HKT 21:40

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