Bacteria outbreak at Royal Columbian Hospital
Posted February 3, 2014 12:07 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
NEW WESTMINSTER (NEWS1130) – Fraser Health has declared an outbreak of a hard-to-treat bacteria at Royal Columbian Hospital.
Five patients from a medicine unit have been isolated.
The bacteria is called Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE). It is resistant to some strong antibiotics.
Dr. Elizabeth Brodkin says it’s more common in other parts of the world but can be brought here by people travelling abroad.
She tells us most people who have CPE don’t show symptoms, but it can cause infections and, in some cases, death. It spreads by contact.
“We would like the public to do their part by practicing meticulous hand hygiene when they come to visit our hospitals,” says Brodkin, adding it’s the first time Fraser Health has declared an outbreak of CPE.
She insists the hospitals are still safe, but it will take several weeks before the outbreak can be declared over.
