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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) made the following announcement today (February 7):
A 77-year-old male patient in a neurosurgical ward of TMH was confirmed to be a Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) carrier on February 1. The patient is now isolated and under medical surveillance with stable condition.
In accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines, the hospital has screened patients who had contact with the index patient. Five more male patients (aged 9 to 85) have been confirmed to be VRE carriers but without clinical symptoms. One of the patients is still hospitalised under isolation and medical surveillance. He is in serious condition because of his own underlying illness while the other four patients had been discharged earlier.
The neurosurgical ward concerned has adopted the following enhanced infection control measures:
1. Enhanced hand hygiene and stringent contact precautions have been applied;
2. Enhanced attention to contamination-prone procedures; and
3. Enhanced disinfection and cleaning of the ward concerned.
The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up. The hospital Infection Control Team will continue to closely monitor the situation of the ward.
Ends/Friday, February 7, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:08
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