Elderly in ward carrying MRSA superbug

Home
> Health

Health

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

By Claire Regan

A hospital ward remained closed to new admissions for a second day today after 10 elderly patients were found to be carrying the MRSA superbug.

Bosses at the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen were forced to close off Ward 9 as a "precautionary measure".

Those hit with the outbreak were not ill with MRSA but were found to be carrying it and so were a risk to other patients.

People being looked after in the 36-bed elderly care ward at the time of closure remain there while those carrying the potentially fatal infection were treated in isolation.

The Western Health and Social Care Trust, which incorporates the Erne Hospital, said the action was taken in response to increasing numbers of the infection which had been spotted as part of on-going surveillance.

"There are no cases of MRSA infection at the Erne, " a Trust spokeswoman said.

"The situation is that they have identified 10 patients who are carriers and the normal infection control procedures have kicked in. That means isolating patients, barrier nursing them and stopping new patients coming into the ward.

"The health and safety of patients, clients and staff is of paramount importance."

It is not known yet how long the ward will be closed to bew admissions.

Swab tests will be carried out over the next four days to keep an eye on MRSA levels.

Marion Martin, infection control nurse at the Co Fermanagh hospital, said patients were sometimes infected with MRSA before they were admitted.

"But some (cases) are new in the last four to five days and that's why we've put the precautions in place," she said.

The closure comes less than a week after the intensive care unit at Belfast City Hospital had to be closed because of an outbreak of the multi-resistant 'acinetobacter' infection. It re-opened last Thursday after under-going an intensive clean. Around 245 cases of MRSA are detected in Ulster's hospital each year.

The hospital spokeswoman said friends or relatives planning to visit patients on Ward 9 should make contact with the ward manager prior to the visit or go to reception on entering the area.

SDLP Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Tommy Gallagher, a member of the Stormont Health Committee, called for a new strategy for curtailing MSRA.

"Right across Northern Ireland there is increasing worry about the failure of our health service to get to grips with this problem," he said.

"I will therefore be urging the Health Committee when it reconvenes to carry out an in-depth investigation into the whole area of hospital-acquired infections."