Update on cluster of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci and Multi-drug Resistant Acinetobacter cases in Tuen Mun Hospital

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on a cluster of patients confirmed to be carriers of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) in a medical and geriatrics ward; and a cluster of patients confirmed to be carriers of Multi-drug Resistant Acinetobacter (MDRA) in an orthopaedic and traumatology ward, the spokesman for Tuen Mun Hospital gave the following update today (February 2):

     In accordance with the prevailing guidelines, the hospital commenced contact tracing and confirmed one more patient, a 61-year-old male, as carrier of VRE, and one more patient, a 60-year-old male, as carrier of MDRA. They are currently hospitalised under isolation with stable condition.

     The wards concerned have adopted the following enhanced infection control measures:
 

1. Enhanced hand hygiene and stringent contact precautions;
2. Enhanced attention to contamination-prone procedures;
3. Enhanced disinfection and cleaning of the concerned ward; and
4. Enhanced patient and environmental screening procedures.

     The hospital will continue the enhanced infection control measures and closely monitor the situation of the ward. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.