Two more die amid C diff outbreak
Tuesday November 10 2009
Another two people have died amid a contagious outbreak at one of Ireland's main regional hospitals, health chiefs have said.
Four deaths at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda have now been referred to the coroner to decide if they were linked to a Clostridium difficile infection.
There are 13 other confirmed cases of the bug while another 20 patients are showing symptoms, which can include diarrhoea and fever.
The hospital has shut its doors to new admissions and visitors as it battles to contain the spread of the outbreak, which it says remains in its "escalation phase".
"In consultation with the Louth County Coroner our clinical director has agreed that all deaths occurring at the hospital during the escalation phase of the outbreak will be notified to the coroner as a matter of routine," said a HSE spokeswoman. "To date four deaths have been notified to the coroner."
All planned surgery has been cancelled and 77 beds have been closed at the hospital, which treats patients from Louth, Meath and north Dublin.
C diff is contagious and spreads very easily but can usually be prevented with good hygiene.
Naturally present in humans, it does not cause problems for healthy people but can multiply out of control, particularly in people being treated with antibiotics - making hospitals susceptible to infection.
Most people make a full recovery, however, in rare cases it can be fatal.
