HK Adopts AI To Combat Rising Superbug Infections
The Hong Kong Hospital Authority has reported a rise in superbug infections among residents, including vancomycin-resistant enterococci and Candida auris, which are multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). The authority’s chief infection control officer, Dr. Raymond Lai, attributed the surge in MDROs to the COVID-19 pandemic and the allocation of isolation wards to COVID-19 patients.
In 2020, nearly 200 cases of Candida auris were confirmed, but by 2023, the number had risen to over 300, with mortality risks exceeding 80%. For vancomycin-resistant enterococci, data showed a surge from 40 patients in 2021 to 140 by Q3 of 2023. To address this public health challenge, the Hospital Authority plans to roll out an AI pilot to identify infection trends and antibiotic resistance. The pilot is a partnership between the Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung and the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin, and is expected to be rolled out to 17 other hospitals in a layered process expected to last for the majority of 2024.
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