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A spokesperson for the Hospital Authority made the following update announcement today (July 4, 2006):
As at 5pm today (July 4), there are three public hospitals with new cases of patients and staff members suffering from diarrhoea or vomiting symptoms at individual wards. The breakdowns are as follows:
- Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital - one staff member, in stable condition.
- North District Hospital - one male patient (aged 59), in stable condition.
- Prince of Wales Hospital - three female patients (aged 43-82) and one staff member. All are in stable condition.
All the patients are being treated under isolation, while the staff concerned are on sick leave. Laboratory tests are being carried out for the symptomatic patients and staff members. Some of the patients and staff are positive to Norovirus while others are pending test outcome.
Various infection control measures have already been stepped up in the concerned wards according to operational needs of individual hospitals, which include temporary suspension of admission to and discharge from the ward, restricted visiting with adequate precautionary measures, enhanced medical surveillance of other patients in the ward.
The cases have already been reported to the authority's Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for the necessary follow up actions.
Ends/Tuesday, July 4, 2006
Issued at HKT 19:03
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