Probe complete into deaths of 74 people from superbug outbreak

AN INVESTIGATION by a UK expert into the deaths of 74 people who contracted the deadly superbug CPE at the UL Group’s six hospitals in Limerick is finally complete.

Results had been due to be published in May, but a spokesperson said 74 sets of next-of-kin had to be informed before publication, and that this process was proving ‘protracted’.

Last October, the Irish Daily Mail reported that the deaths of 74 patients who had contracted the deadly superbug were under investigation.

A microbiologist was brought in to review the cases of people who tested positive for the bug in order to determine whether or not the infection had caused their deaths.

CPE is a bug that resides in the gut – but is fatal in half of all cases where it enters the bloodstream.

Last October, a HSE whistleblower – who first raised concerns regarding CPE and other superbugs at the hospital group back in 2014 – insisted ‘lives would have been saved’ had proper measures been implemented by the hospitals and warnings heeded.

The deaths of the 74 UL Group patients since 2009 have already been the subject of an internal audit.

A detection of CPE/CRE in a patient attending a hospital in the group should not ‘imply’ they acquired the superbug on-site. Testing positive for a superbug also does not mean a patient faces imminent death.

There have been 46 confirmed new detections of CPE in the Mid West between May 31, 2017 and June 30 this year.