Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital responds to case of Legionnaires’ disease

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
     The spokesman for Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital made the following reply today (October 9) regarding a patient was confirmed infection with Legionnaires' disease:

     The hospital is very concerned about having one more 92-year-old male patient who stayed in a surgical ward was confirmed infection with Legionnaires' disease. The hospital is co-operating with Centre for Health Protection (CHP) to investigate the source of infection. The hospital has implemented a series of measures to protect the health of patients and staff, including the arrangement of thorough cleaning and disinfection of relevant water supply system in the hospital by vendor last month for three times. The hospital will arrange cleaning, disinfection and checking of the water system again later.

     Before completing the relevant cleaning and disinfection procedures, the hospital has already followed the CHP's advice and implemented a series of follow-up measures, including:
 

1. Installing bacterial filters on basin faucets and shower heads and suspending the use of basin faucets and showerheads without bacterial filters that are accessible by patients and members of the public;
2. Providing boiled or bottled water to patients for teeth brushing, mouth rinsing and face washing; and
3. After communicating with the CHP, the hospital will continue to implement clinical surveillance for all patients in the ward.

 
     The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office according to established guidelines. The hospital will also cooperate with the CHP to investigate whether the two cases are correlated. In addition to the above precautionary and improvement measures, the hospital has reminded all healthcare staff to be vigilant and continue to closely monitor the situation of patients in the hospital.