The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority (HA) are jointly investigating a cluster of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH).
Investigation revealed that three newborn babies, including two premature babies in the NICU had developed NEC symptoms between May 27 and June 7. They are being treated under isolation at the NICU in stable condition.
Upon notification of the outbreak yesterday (June 9) evening, staff of the CHP immediately joined hands with the Infection Control Team and Paediatric Department of PYNEH to launch epidemiological investigations and to heighten infection control in the ward concerned.
Starting from today, new admission to the NICU has been suspended. HA has informed all public hospitals of the incident and is closely monitoring the situation. So far, there is no similar incident in other public hospitals.
CHP staff today re-visited the ward and took clinical and environmental samples for laboratory tests.
NEC is a complication seen mainly in premature and low birth weight infants. It is a multi-factorial disease. In many outbreaks, an infective causative agent cannot be identified.
"Appropriate measures have been implemented and we are closely monitoring the situation," a CHP spokesman said.
End/Friday, June 10, 2005