Queen Elizabeth Hospital update on cluster of COVID-19 suspected of nosocomial infection

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) spokesperson provided the following updates today (July 15) regarding a cluster of COVID-19 suspected of nosocomial infection reported yesterday (July 14):
      
     QEH reported yesterday that three female patients staying in the same cubicle of a medical ward was confirmed with COVID-19 infections. The hospital has followed up with the remaining 42 female patients of the concerned ward. All the patient specimens taken for nasopharyngeal swab were tested negative of COVID-19. Nine patients had been discharged. The hospital will maintain close communication with the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) to follow up the condition of the discharged patients. The two COVID-19 confirmed patients (case numbers: 1513 and 1563) and one preliminary positive patient are in stable conditions and they are under isolation treatment.
      
     QEH has also followed up with the healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and patient care assistants, who had contacted with the confirmed cases. A total of 62 healthcare workers have taken the COVID-19 tests, among them 30 were tested negative to COVID-19 while the remaining tests are still in progress.
      
     On the other hand, a patient care assistant who works in the same ward was also tested preliminary positive of COVID-19 today. She has not returned to the hospital for work during July 10 to 14. On July 12, she attended QEH Accident and Emergency Department with presence of upper respiratory symptoms and her COVID-19 test was negative at that time. She returned to work this afternoon. She had the COVID-19 test again in voluntary basis, and the test result was positive. As per her report, she resides in Tsz Wan Shan district. The hospital preliminary epidemiology investigation shows that the index patient of the cluster of cases was admitted on July 12, meaning that the patient care assistant was not present when the infections took place. It is believed that the patient care assistant was not related to the cluster of cases. There is also no evidence showing that she infected any patient during her work at the ward.
      
     The hospital will closely work with CHP for further investigation and also monitor the condition of concerned staff and patients. The hospital has stepped up infection control measures and suspended of admitting new patients according to the established mechanism in the concerned ward.