CHP follows up on cluster of Candida auris carrier cases involving a RCHE
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The CHP recently received a notification from the Hospital Authority (HA) that two male residents aged 89 and 90 living in the same room of the aforementioned RCHE had recently been admitted to a public hospital for treatment due to their underlying illnesses. Their admission screening samples tested positive for Candida auris upon laboratory testing. Both patients, being carriers without infection symptoms, are in stable condition.
The CHP's epidemiological investigation revealed an epidemiological linkage between the current cases and a previous cluster of Candida auris cases in Kwong Wah Hospital (KWH) announced by the HA. One of the affected persons in the KWH cluster, an 85-year-old male patient, lived in the same room with the two residents of the RCHE upon discharge from the hospital. The CHP believed that they were infected by the 85-year-old male patient at the RCHE.
The CHP has conducted a site inspection at the RCHE and provided infection control advice and training to the RCHE staff. The RCHE is advised to strengthen infection control measures in accordance with the established guidelines, including appropriate placement of carrier residents, strict implementation of contact precautions, enhancement of environmental cleansing and disinfection, use of dedicated medical equipment, toilet and bathing facilities to prevent the spread of Candida auris.
The CHP will continue to investigate the cluster and conduct screenings among contacts, while maintaining close liaison with the RCHE concerned to monitor the situation of the residents and ensure strict implementation of various infection control measures by the RCHE.
A spokesman for the CHP explained that Candida is a fungus commonly found in the natural environment, particularly in moist and warm environments. In humans, it is commonly found in body sites such as the oral cavity, the digestive tract, the skin and the vagina. It is a common fungus living on or in the human body but can occasionally cause infections, especially in individuals with impaired immunity.
Among different candida species, Candida auris is more drug-resistant. Infections vary from being mild to potentially life-threatening or fatal, depending on which part of the body is affected and the general health condition of the patient. The spokesman stressed that proper use of antimicrobials and maintaining personal hygiene, especially hand hygiene, are crucial to the prevention of the emergence and cross-transmission of Candida auris.
Ends/Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Issued at HKT 20:11
Issued at HKT 20:11
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