The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on a cluster of patients confirmed to be carriers of Multi-Drug Resistant Acinetobacter (MDRA) in medical wards, the spokesperson for Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital made the following update today (March 29):
 
     In accordance with prevailing guideline, the hospital has commenced contact tracing and confirmed seven more patients (six males and one female, aged 82 to 102) in the medical wards to be the carriers of MDRA. Four patients are currently under medical surveillance and isolation treatment with stable condition. Two patients have been discharged and one patient has passed away due to underlying disease.
 
     Following the activation of Emergency Response Level in public hospitals, visiting arrangement has been suspended. The following infection control measures have been stepped up according to established guidelines:
 
     1. Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of wards concerned;
     2. Applied stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene of staff and patients; and
     3. Enhanced patient and environmental screening procedures.
 
     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation in the concerned wards. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

Ends/Monday, March 29, 2021
Issued at HKT 20:50

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