THE PSEUDOMONAS bacteria which caused the deaths of four babies in Northern Ireland in the past two months has now been detected in water outlets in the neonatal unit of the Ulster Hospital in east Belfast.
The North’s Department of Health confirmed the finding at the weekend.
It said while the bacteria was discovered in a small number of water outlets, tests were carried out on all babies in the intensive care unit of the hospital and results indicated “no baby has tested positive for pseudomonas”.
“Babies will continue to be screened on an ongoing basis. Parents of the babies in the unit have been informed of the position,” a spokeswoman said.
Last week, Minister for Health Edwin Poots disclosed that water taps in the neonatal unit of the Royal Jubilee Maternity hospital in Belfast were the source of the pseudomonas bacteria that claimed the lives of three babies since early January. A fourth baby died from a different strain of pseudomonas in Altnagelvin hospital in Derry before Christmas.
He said that all taps in the Royal’s neonatal unit were being replaced.
In a weekend update the department’s spokeswoman added: “An ongoing programme of testing water and replacement of taps in neonatal intensive care units in all trusts has commenced and will be completed as soon as possible.
“Until this programme has been completed, tap water will not be used directly with the babies,” she said.
She added that according to the latest figures there are no new cases of pseudomonas infection at the Royal Jublilee hospital.
