COMMUNICATIONS

Hospital Works To Manage Infection Outbreak

Ward 3A, one of the geriatric medicine wards at The Princess Margaret Hospital, has been closed for admissions today due to an outbreak of a streptococcal bacterial infection that is believed to have contributed to the deaths of three patients.

To manage the risk of further infection, Canterbury District Health Board is taking all necessary precautions. This includes all patients and staff on the ward being screened for the infection and preventative antibiotics being administered. All necessary infection control measures are being implemented.

“While we do not believe this infection is a significant risk to visitors or other parts of the hospital, the ward will be closed to all but essential visitors,” Infectious Diseases Physician Alan Pithie said. Patients and families are being informed of the issue.

Until the infection is known to have been cleared from the ward, no new patients will be admitted to the ward and no patients are planned to be transferred to other hospitals or rest homes.

ENDS