Cluster of Candida auris cases found in Princess Margaret Hospital
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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) made the following announcement today (March 4):
A 90-year-old male patient in a medicine and geriatrics ward was found to be a carrier of Candida auris through screening on March 1 without signs of infection. In accordance with the prevailing guidelines, PMH conducted contact tracing and found six more male patients in the same ward carrying Candida auris (aged 56 to 86) without signs of infection. One patient has been discharged. One patient is in serious condition due to his underlying disease. The remaining four patients are now being treated in isolation. One of them was transferred to North Lantau Hospital for treatment earlier, and all of them are in stable condition.
The ward concerned has adopted the following enhanced infection control measures:
- Enhanced patient and environmental screening procedures;
- Applied stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene for staff and patients; and
- Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the ward concerned.
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.