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Source: http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/545514
C. diff claims five elderly St. Joe?s patients in one month
April 08, 2009
Joanna Frketich
The Hamilton Spectator
Five seniors with C. difficile have died at St. Joseph?s Hospital in the last month.
That is nearly one in three of those who got the bacterial infection that causes severe diarrhea.
It has public health urging visitors to the downtown hospital to use hand sanitizers, comply with visiting restrictions and take antibiotics only as prescribed to reduce the risk of getting the superbug.
?I believe the hospital is taking all appropriate steps,? said Dr. Chris Mackie, associate medical officer of health. ?But also the public can do things to support controlling this outbreak.?
A hospital investigation has revealed C. diff contributed to three deaths in April.
Two deaths in March were not caused by C. diff but by other serious illnesses.
All of the patients were in their 80s with multiple health problems.
C. diff is one of three outbreaks St. Joseph?s Healthcare is currently battling.
Another senior died during the first week of March from invasive Group A streptococcus, which was spreading on the geriatric psychiatry unit at the Centre for Mountain Health Services.
Three wards remain closed to visitors at the downtown hospital as St. Joseph?s tries to contain the Norwalk virus.
There were no new cases of C. diff, Norwalk or strep A today.
Seventeen people have become ill with C. diff and nine are still in hospital.
jfrketich@thespec.com
905-526-3349
C. diff claims five elderly St. Joe?s patients in one month
April 08, 2009
Joanna Frketich
The Hamilton Spectator
Five seniors with C. difficile have died at St. Joseph?s Hospital in the last month.
That is nearly one in three of those who got the bacterial infection that causes severe diarrhea.
It has public health urging visitors to the downtown hospital to use hand sanitizers, comply with visiting restrictions and take antibiotics only as prescribed to reduce the risk of getting the superbug.
?I believe the hospital is taking all appropriate steps,? said Dr. Chris Mackie, associate medical officer of health. ?But also the public can do things to support controlling this outbreak.?
A hospital investigation has revealed C. diff contributed to three deaths in April.
Two deaths in March were not caused by C. diff but by other serious illnesses.
All of the patients were in their 80s with multiple health problems.
C. diff is one of three outbreaks St. Joseph?s Healthcare is currently battling.
Another senior died during the first week of March from invasive Group A streptococcus, which was spreading on the geriatric psychiatry unit at the Centre for Mountain Health Services.
Three wards remain closed to visitors at the downtown hospital as St. Joseph?s tries to contain the Norwalk virus.
There were no new cases of C. diff, Norwalk or strep A today.
Seventeen people have become ill with C. diff and nine are still in hospital.
jfrketich@thespec.com
905-526-3349