*****************************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) made the following announcement today (February 24):
Four babies were identified as carrying Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) in two wards of the Neonatal Unit of QEH since February 8. Two baby girls (aged 18 days and 4 months) were confirmed to be infected with MRSA and were prescribed with antibiotics. Another two baby girls (aged 10 days and 16 days) were identified as carriers during routine surveillance screening. Two of the babies are being treated under isolation and are now in stable condition. The remaining two have been discharged.
The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection. The infection control team of QEH met with experts from the Hospital Authority and the Centre for Health Protection today and adopted the following enhanced infection control measures:
1. Isolate the infected patients and carriers in a designated cubicle of the same ward. They are to be cared by designated nursing staff to prevent cross-transmission with the use of a dedicated set of non-critical equipments. Staff are reminded to pay special attention to procedures with high risk of cross-transmission.
2. All staff and visitors entering the designated cubicle have to wear personal protective equipment.
3. Enhance environmental hygiene in the wards.
4. Strict adherence to hand hygiene would be enforced to prevent cross-transmission.
Meanwhile, regarding the announcement earlier on the confirmation of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) carriers, the spokesperson made the following update today:
The hospital has arranged contact tracing in accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines and confirmed two more male patients (aged 47 and 63) as VRE carriers today. Both patients have no clinical symptoms and are in stable conditions. While awaiting the laboratory test result, the patients concerned were put under isolation and enhanced infection control measures have been implemented.
Ends/Friday, February 24, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:17
NNNN