The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for Kowloon Hospital (KH) made the following announcement today (August 14) regarding a nurse who tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19:
A female nurse of an extended care ward at KH was informed by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) on August 12 that her mother had tested positive for COVID-19 and she was classified as a close contact due to household contact. She presented with sore throat and fever and attended the Accident and Emergency Department of United Christian Hospital in the morning on the same day. Her COVID-19 test result was preliminarily positive yesterday (August 13) and she has been admitted to Tseung Kwan O Hospital for treatment under isolation. The nurse is in stable condition and her last working day was on August 11.
The hospital's infection control team immediately initiated contact tracing. The nurse concerned is responsible for general clinical and nursing care duties in a ward. She has worn appropriate personal protective equipment as well as performed vigilant hand hygiene at work. She did not come into contact with any COVID-19 patients in the hospital and was not required to perform high-risk medical procedures for patients over the past two weeks.
Initial investigation indicated that three staff members in the ward have had meals during meal breaks with the nurse concerned. One of them is listed as a close contact and needs to be quarantined for 14 days. The other two staff members have been classified as other contacts and will be put under 28 days of medical surveillance. So far, no patient has been classified as a close contact.
As a precautionary measure, COVID-19 tests were arranged for a total of 24 patients in the ward and other staff members who have worked together with this nurse in the ward. All the test results were negative.
The hospital has already conducted thorough cleaning and disinfection of the affected ward. KH will continue to closely monitor the health of the staff and patients and communicate with the CHP about the latest situation.
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