Hong Kong battling potentially deadly superbug authorities say could have spread because isolation facilities are being used in fight against Covid-19

[JacksinPA]

Potentially fatal superbug in Hong Kong public hospitals – and it’s not Covid-19

Hospital Authority says shortage of isolation facilities because of fight against coronavirus could have sparked increase in number of patients infected by Candida auris, which has a mortality rate of between 30 and 60 per cent.

www.scmp.com

• Hospital Authority says there have been 136 cases of fungal infection Candida auris so far this year, compared to 20 in whole of 2019
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• Patients have between 30 and 60 per cent chance of dying if infected by bug, which targets oral cavity, digestive tract, skin, and vagina

Hong Kong health officials are battling to control the spread of a potentially fatal drug-resistant superbug they believe has swept through the city’s public hospitals and elderly care homes because of the coronavirus.

On Friday, Dr Raymond Lai, the Hospital Authority’s chief infection control officer, called the outbreak worrying, and said he was working to stop Candida auris, a fungal infection, spreading to the community.
According to the authority, there were 136 cases reported in the city in the first 10 months of this year, compared to 20 in the whole of 2019.

Candida auris - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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This fungus grows as a yeast & is drug resistant. It preys on patients with compromised immune systems which is one of the characteristics of COVID-19.