Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital announces staff member and patient test preliminarily positive for COVID-19

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesman for Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital today (February 9) announced that a staff member and a patient of a psychogeriatric ward have tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19, with details as follows:
 
     A patient care assistant (PCA) of a psychogeriatric ward tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19 yesterday due to home or community contacts. The hospital had immediately conducted contact tracing. No staff member was identified as a close contact.
 
     The hospital's infection control team had immediately arranged testing for all staff members and 29 patients who had contact with the PCA concerned in the ward. One 62-year-old male patient tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19 today.
 
     The hospital is still investigating the linkage between the two cases. The patient concerned is being treated under isolation and is in stable condition. Sixteen patients who stayed with the patient concerned in the same cubicle and had contact in the ward were identified as close contacts and will be isolated for quarantine. Admission to the ward concerned had been suspended, and a thorough cleaning and disinfection were arranged.
 
     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of the ward and communicate with the Centre for Health Protection on the latest situation.