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 female extended care ward, the spokesperson for Haven of Hope Hospital (HHH) gave the following update today (October 11):
The hospital commenced contact tracing in accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines and identified three more female patients (aged 54 to 83) as being VRE carriers with no symptoms of infection. One of them has been discharged and the other two patients are being treated under isolation in HHH. One patient is in serious condition because of underlying disease, while the other patient is in stable condition.
The following enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted in the ward according to the established guidelines:
1. Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of the ward concerned;
2. Application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene for staff and patients; and
3. Enhanced attention to contamination-prone procedures.
The hospital will continue to 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.
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