Hospital Authority strengthens control measures against superbug Candida auris after Hong Kong outbreak
- Health bosses preparing for return of deadly pathogen to city’s hospitals after outbreak earlier this summer
- Enhanced control measures include increased screening and isolation of patients, as well as laboratory upgrades
The Hospital Authority has stepped up control measures in the fight against deadly superbug Candida auris after a month-long outbreak in Hong Kong hospitals.
The multidrug-resistant fungal species has been increasingly prevalent around the world since 2009, with 16 cases recorded in the city in a breakout earlier this summer.
The pathogen, which could cause bloodstream infections and even death, has spread to more than 20 countries in Asia, Europe, America, Africa and Australia, with those hospitals affected reporting average fatality rates of 30 per cent.
Hospital Authority chief infection control officer Dr Raymond Lai Wai-man said they were preparing for a return of the superbug.
“We do not rule out the possibility of the pathogen spreading to Hong Kong, as Hong Kong is an international city for travellers and the number of global cases has been on the rise,” he said.
