Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital announces preliminary positive case of COVID-19

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital today (July 20) made the following announcement concerning a preliminary positive case of the COVID-19 infection:
      
     A 54-year-old male patient was admitted to a surgical ward on July 13 due to suspected appendicitis. He presented with a low-grade fever upon admission but did not have any symptoms of respiratory infection. The patient underwent an emergency operation on the same day and subsequently stayed in the surgical ward.
      
     The hospital was informed by the patient's family yesterday (July 19) that two other family members, who went to a dinner gathering with the patient on July 11, were just confirmed with the COVID-19 infection. The patient was transferred to an isolation ward at once. An urgent laboratory test was arranged and his nasopharyngeal swab specimen tested positive for COVID-19.
      
     The hospital's infection control team immediately conducted contact tracing. The patient displayed good compliance with wearing a mask during his hospital stay and no high-risk procedures had been performed on him in the ward. Healthcare workers who provided treatment and care to the patient were equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment in accordance with the infection control guidelines of the Hospital Authority. No staff member has been classified as a close contact at the moment. They will be put under medical surveillance as advised by the Center for Health Protection (CHP).
      
     Patient admissions to the surgical ward concerned have been suspended. The hospital will follow up closely with the CHP on the required quarantine arrangement for the other 10 patients who had stayed in the same cubicle of the surgical ward with the infected patient.