Hospital Probes How Elderly Patient Caught Virus

A 93-year-old patient, who has been in a public hospital mostly since early March has tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Pok Oi hospital announced on Saturday that the male patient is in serious condition after coming down with the virus, and it's still investigating the source of transmission of the case.

The man was admitted to the Medicine and Geriatrics ward of the hospital in Yuen Long on March 10 due to a stroke, and was then transferred to another floor on March 28.

He was discharged from the hosptial on Wednesday, but developed symptoms like fever and vomitting on Friday.

He was taken back to Pok Oi hospital and doctors found his lungs were infected. He was then admitted to the isolation ward and the preliminary tests showed he has been infected with the coronavirus.

A spokesman of the hospital said it's investigating the case with infectious disease experts and the Centre for Health Protection to track the source of his infection because the patient has been staying in the hospital for most of the time during the virus incubation period.

He also said the ward the man stayed in has stopped receiving new patients and will be completely disinfected.

The hospital is also contacting medics and patients who had come in close contact with the man during his incubation period, so as to put them in medical surveillance and quarantine if necessary.