COMMUNICATIONS

Screening And Treatment Used To Prevent Infection Spreading

There have been no new cases of the Streptoccocal bacterial infection that is thought to have contributed to the deaths of three patients in ward 3A at The Princess Margaret Hospital.

All patients on the ward have been screened for the infection and have had treatment with preventative antibiotics. All staff working on the ward, and any other staff who were caring for the infected patients, have also been screened and treated.

“We have been most concerned about patients with open wounds but thankfully none of the tests from these patients have come back positive for Strep A,” Acting Clinical Director Older Persons Health CDHB, Jeff Kirwan said.

“Several other people have however tested positively for possible Streptoccocal A as we would expect in any population,” he said. “These people have all been treated with preventative medication. In this situation, identifying a single carrier is not our goal. Containing the infection and stopping its spread is most important and this is being done with antibiotics.”

Aside from screening and treating staff and patients, the Hospital has offered screening and treatment to the families of the patients who died and contacted the families of the 19 other patients in the ward to alert them of the situation.

The General Practitioners and if necessary rest homes of all patients discharged from Ward 3A since 26 September are also being contacted, so that they can talk to the former patients about possible screening and treatment. September 26 is when the first of the three patients that died was admitted.

“Tight infection control measures are still being implemented on the ward and we are making sure patients and families are kept well informed,” General Manager Older Persons Health CDHB, Vince Barry said. “We are also staying in touch with the families of the patients who have died and providing any support that they might need from us.”

ENDS