Hong Kong – Kwai Chung Hospital announces event of bed bugs found

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Kwai Chung Hospital (KCH) made the following announcement today (September 17) regarding an event of bedbugs found in the hospital:
　　
     KCH received a report of itching skin from a male patient in a post admission care unit yesterday morning (September 16). Staff immediately conducted a physical examination of the patient, suspecting that the patient was bitten by bedbugs. Upon inspection, bedbugs were found on the patient’s bed. Staff then inspected other areas and patients’ linens in the ward, where bedbugs were found in a sealed heating facility and on nine other beds. Furthermore, three more male patients were suspected of being bitten by bedbugs.
 
     KCH is extremely concerned about the event and has arranged for a professional pest control vendor to manage the bedbugs in the ward concerned yesterday. KCH has also informed the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to arrange for a pest control expert to inspect the ward concerned and provide pest control advice today.
 
     KCH has provided appropriate treatment to the four patients concerned and has taken a series of measures to enhance patient protection and prevent the spread of bedbugs. The measures are:
 

• Conducted pest control, deep cleaning, and continuous environmental surveillance in the ward concerned;
• Arranged skin monitoring for the patients concerned and isolated patients’ personal items in sealed plastic bags until confirmation of the absence of bedbugs;
• Replaced the linens in the ward concerned and performed a thorough disinfection; and
• Disposed of all affected mattresses and pillows properly.

 
     KCH will conduct contact investigations and provide guidelines for the prevention and control of bedbugs to prevent the spreading of the insects. Additionally, the hospital will work with a professional pest control vendor to investigate the source of the bedbug infestation and implement proactive measures to prevent the breeding and spreading of bedbugs within the hospital.
 
     To prevent further infestations, KCH will also implement a series of measures in other areas of the hospital, including enhancing inspections to check if bedbugs are present, arranging for professional vendors to carry out pest control and disinfestation measures, and stepping up cleaning in wards.
 
     KCH will continue to closely monitor the situation and has reported the incident to the Hospital Authority Head Office via the Advance Incident Reporting System.