***********************************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for Kwong Wah Hospital made the following announcement today (April 12):
A 98-year-old female patient in a Medicine and Geriatrics ward was confirmed to have Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) infection on March 20. The patient is being treated under isolation and her clinical condition is stable.
In accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines, the hospital has screened patients who were in close contact with the index patient in the same hospitalisation period. Three female patients (aged 83 to 91) were confirmed to be VRE carriers, all without clinical symptoms. They are now under medical surveillance and isolation.
The hospital has stepped up infection control measures in the ward according to established guidelines. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for follow-up.
Ends/Thursday, April 12, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:59
NNNN
