Three more hospital deaths in Northern Ireland have been linked to a superbug over the past month,a health trust revealed today.
The Northern Health Trust, which runs nine hospitals and had been dealing with an outbreak of C difficile in Antrim Area and causeway Hospitals, confirmed 40 new cases came to light last month.
However they insisted despite these figures the number of new cases was on a downward spiral.
“During the course of the month there have been three deaths where C.difficile was recorded as an associated factor,” a spokesperson confirmed.
“Experience from other outbreaks of C.difficile, both nationally and internationally, is that it takes time to bring the outbreak fully under control and that fluctuations in figures will occur both weekly and monthly.
“However, we are now beginning to see a downward trend.”
The C difficile outbreak had previously been linked to the deaths of 41 people. Health minister Michael McGimpsey has already indicated he is minded to launch an independent probe into the C.difficile outbreak in the Northern Trust area hospitals.
However he has said that could only take place once a review of the incident by the Health Service’s regulatory body - the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority has concluded.
The Northern Health Trust said it was conducting an analysis of every case recorded during March to identify the causes of these cases, including patient
factors, admission rates to hospitals and effectiveness of infection control procedures.
“We have a major intensive cleaning regime in all of our hospitals and will shortly introduce a newly recruited, rapid response team to provide a round-the-clock cleaning service for Antrim and Causeway Hospitals,” the trust said.
“In association with the Belfast Trust we have employed a piece of specialist equipment that allows for intensive cleaning of vacated ward areas.
“We would appeal again to visitors to follow our infection control guidelines; to restrict visiting where possible, particularly with young children, and not to bring food for patients.
“All visitors should comply with requests from clinical and nursing staff when attending the hospital.
“If you are visiting a patient with C.difficile you should wash your hands with soap and water before and after visiting; refrain from visiting if you have any illness; only visit your own relative; refrain from bringing children to
visit; do not sit on patients’ beds and restrict the number of possessions your relative has to assist in cleaning around the bed.
“Visitors not visiting patients with C.difficile should continue to clean their hands with alcohol gel.”