The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) made the following announcement today (September 5) concerning a pregnant woman tested preliminarily positive to COVID-19:

     A 25-year-old woman at 36 weeks of gestation admitted to an antenatal ward of TMH yesterday (September 4) morning for antenatal examination. The nurse verified the patient's identity and noticed that she had just completed the 14-day quarantine and the Clinical Management System also showed that the patient had just recently entered Hong Kong.

     The patient was asymptomatic. However, as a precautionary measure, she was transferred to an isolation ward and received the COVID-19 test. The preliminary test result available last night revealed that she was tested preliminarily positive to COVID-19. She is now staying in an isolation ward of TMH with stable condition.

     TMH infection control unit conducted infection control investigation after the patient being tested preliminarily positive to COVID-19. It was confirmed that the patient had stayed in the antenatal ward for around 45 minutes. Apart from using the patient washroom, she had been staying in the consultation room alone without the presence of another patient. An operational assistant responsible for toilet cleaning at the antenatal ward has to be quarantined for 14 days since she had not worn protective gown and face shield. There is another operational assistant who was responsible for changing bed linen will be put under 28 days of medical surveillance as a precautionary measure.

     Since the index patient is already at 36 weeks of gestation, TMH is closely monitoring her condition and has prepared the delivery arrangement and neonatal care according to established guidelines.

     TMH is very concerned about this incident. Thorough cleansing and disinfection have been arranged in the consultation room and washroom of the antenatal ward. TMH will continue to communicate with the CHP for updates.

Ends/Saturday, September 5, 2020
Issued at HKT 20:40

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