The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson of Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) made an announcement today (July 29) on four supporting staff members tested preliminarily positive to COVID-19:
A Patient Care Assistant II working in Medicine and Geriatrics ward at Lai King Building of PMH sought medical treatment owing to discomfort at Prince of Wales Hospital Staff Clinic on July 27 and his deep throat saliva test result was preliminarily positive to COVID-19, awaiting further testing. Another Patient Care Assistant II who shared the same room at staff quarters on July 23 and was listed as a close contact. The staff sought medical treatment at the onset of symptoms on July 28 at Accident and Emergency Department of Tseung Kwan O Hospital and was also tested preliminarily positive towards COVID-19 and awaiting further testing.
To address relieve staff concerns, the hospital immediately provides relevant testing services for staff working in the related departments. A Patient Care Assistant II who works in the same ward with the abovementioned two staff was also preliminarily tested positive towards the virus. After contact tracing conducted by Infection Control Team, three Patient Care Assistants provided clinical patient care services at Medicine and Geriatrics ward at Lai King Building and they all wore appropriate personal protective equipment at work and no high-risk procedures were involved. At current stage, a total of 16 staff members have been listed as close contacts and they would be required to be quarantined at quarantine centre.
Upon notification of staff being tested preliminarily positive towards COVID-19, admission and discharge at the relevant wards have been suspended immediately while thorough cleansing and disinfection have been carried out at the concerned working stations and rooms of residence. At the present stage, no patient is listed as close contact while a total of 59 patients have been tested for the virus as a precautionary measure.
In addition, a Patient Care Assistant III who works at out-patient clinic of Oncology Department sought medical treatment at Accident and Emergency Department of the hospital for headache and throat discomfort and was preliminarily tested positive towards COVID-19 with deep throat saliva, further testing result is pending. The staff is mainly responsible for taking blood pressure for patients at the entrance of the clinic and appropriate personal protective equipment has been worn all the time. After contact tracing conducted by Infection Control Team, no patient nor staff member is being listed as close contact while the hospital has already arranged cleansing for the concerned areas.
The four preliminary confirmed staff are not required to contact COVID-19 patients. All cases have been reported to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) and the route of infection is awaiting further confirmation by CHP. The hospital will provide assistance to the staff and will closely monitor the health condition of staff and patients of the concerned wards and will maintain close liaison with the CHP. The hospital will continue maintain close contact with frontline staff and will provide appropriate personal protection equipment to staff according to their operational needs.​
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