Water Leak Sparks Virus Fears At Tuen Mun Hospital

Bosses at Tuen Mun Hospital have apologised after water seeped from the bathroom of a paediatric isolation ward housing Covid-19 patients and dropped onto two men in a surgical ward below.

The hospital said it had reported what it described as "minor water seepage" to the Centre for Health Protection. It played down the risk of infection but said repair work would leave the isolation ward out of use for several weeks.

"After a review of the cause of the incident and patients’ conditions by relevant experts, the infection risk was considered to be low," a hospital spokesman said.

One of the patients affected was placed under quarantine and will spend 14 days under medical surveillance after the dripping water hit his glasses. The other patient has been transferred to a single room and placed under surveillance for 28 days after the water dripped onto his ankle.

"In order to carry out the water leakage examination, TMH has arranged the six paediatric patients concerned and 12 surgical patients to be transferred to other wards," the spokesman added.

"Comprehensive renovation will be arranged for the fifth floor paediatric isolation ward and the work will last for several weeks. Paediatric patients who require isolation will be admitted to another isolation ward. An overhaul in other isolation wards will also be arranged in phases as planned."