The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) made the following announcement today (July 13) regarding a confirmed Legionella infection case:
A male patient (aged 75), who had been admitted to a medical ward of QEH consecutively in June and July, was diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease yesterday (July 12). The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) visited the ward and collected water samples from the hospital today. The source of infection for the patient is still being investigated. The patient is currently receiving treatment at QEH. He is in stable condition.
The hospital has already implemented a series of precautionary and infection control improvement measures in the ward concerned, including:
- Suspending use of related basin faucets until installation of filters;
- Installing bacterial filters for all water outlets and shower heads; and
- Providing boiled or bottled water to patients in the ward concerned for drinking and mouth rinsing.
The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office according to established guidelines. In addition to the above precautionary and improvement measures, the hospital has reminded all medical and nursing staff to be vigilant and continue to closely monitor the situation of the patients in the ward concerned. Moreover, the hospital will continue to co-operate with the CHP in the investigation of the source of infection.
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