Cross-infection (交叉感染) occurred in tow recent clusters of hospital-acquired superbug (超級病菌) infections that resulted in five deaths, the Hospital Authority has admitted.
As of Monday, eight Caritas Medical Centre patients have been confirmed to have vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus bacteria (note 2), while 32 have the same superbug at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The five deaths occurred at the latter (note 3).
Both hospitals will be provided with an ultraviolet device form next month to help prevent spread (散播) of the superbug.
The move follows a worrying trend (note 4) that has seen the number of new patients testing positive for VRE in hospitals grow from nine in 2009 to 15 last year and to 25 so far this year. Tests carried out on stool samples of patients, who sought treatment in accident and emergency wards (note 5) in 15 hospitals for diarrhea between October 17 and 21, also found two out of 141 were VRE carriers.
They were form Caritas and Princess Margaret Hospital.
The eight patients at Caritas “all have interacted (接動) with one or another in the same ward,” said Annie Leung Fat-ying, a nurse specialist in infection control.
“So far, the epidemic (傳染病) is under control…and no new cases have been found.”
Leung said once patients become resistant to vancomycin, a commonly used antibiotic, it will be harder to treat them, leading to severe conditions (note 6), such as urinary (泌尿) tract infections.
Dominic Tsang Ngai-chong, the authority’s chief infection control officer, said in the Queen Elizabeth outbreak (爆發), neurosurgery patients were at high risk.
Meanwhile, staff morale at public hospitals has improved in recent months with the brain drain of doctors to the private sector easing toward the year-end, according to the Hospital Authority.
(note 1) leads to=引致
Lead=領導, 引導, 帶領, 率領, 指揮, 領導, 主持
All roads lead to Rome=條條道路通羅馬
This road leads to the Shingmoon river=這條路通往河邊
Follow the lead of Julian=跟著Julian 走
Hold a safe lead=遙遙領先
(note 2) bacteria=細菌
(note 3) the latter=後者
The former=前者
(note 4) a worrying trend=令人擔憂的趨勢
(note 5) accident and emergency wards=急症室
(note 6) leading to severe conditions=引致嚴重情況
Severe=嚴肅的; 嚴正的
Severe pain=劇痛
Severe wound=重傷
Severe sickness [disease]=重病
severe的同義詞有 stern, austere, ascetic, strict等
