Bacteria outbreak at hospital
CHILD cancer patients have been given antibiotics after a second bacteria outbreak at the Royal Hospital for Children.
The bacteria was found in drains in two wards, three months after a previous outbreak.
Officials say a few patients are being treated with antibiotics and said the drain cleaning should be completed by the weekend.
CHILD cancer patients are being treated with antibiotics after bacteria was found in the Royal Hospital for Children.
Traces of bacteria have been found during testing in the drains of the haemato-oncology wards 2A and 2B, just three months after it was previously found inside the hospital.
Health officials said the bacteria could pose harm to those with “compromised” immunity, which has resulted in the “few patients” who could be at risk being treated with antibiotics as an “extra precaution”.
One woman with a family member being treated at the hospital said: The children aren’t allowed to have baths, parents are having to use bottled water, and the kitchen has been closed.
““An external company is being brought in to carry out deep cleaning. The ward stopped taking patients in yesterday.
“Calling it a super hospital is a joke. This is the second time in a few months they’ve found a bug in the water. This is a cancer ward and infection control needs to be tip top.”
Health bosses insist there is no issue with drinking water at the hospital and the kitchen area is closed for treatment until tonight. Bottled water is being provided in the meantime.
The rest of the Royal Hospital for Children is working as normal and the drain cleaning work in ward 2A and 2B will be completed by the weekend.
Dr Teresa Inkster, NHSGGC Consultant Micro- biologist, said: “As the wards affected treat patients whose immune system is compromised we have taken these immediate steps to apply a chemical disinfection to the drains and to inform the families of the situation.
“We have also taken the extra precaution of prescribing antibiotics to a few patients who are at risk of infection and we are sorry for the disruption this has caused to our young patients.”