The HSE is investigating whether the death of an elderly resident at a nursing home in Mayo is connected to an outbreak of gastroenteritis, which has struck 12 other residents and five staff members.
Environmental health officers are investigating the outbreak at St Fionnan’s community nursing unit in Achill. The HSE said it is investigating whether the death of the elderly resident last night is as a result of the outbreak.
It is understood the 89-year-old man who died was became violently ill with vomiting and diarrhoea on Thursday and was treated by a local GP. The doctor also attended to other ill patients and staff who were complaining of gastrointestinal symptoms.
At lunchtime today, the HSE said it was investigating suspected food poisoning but later issued a statement saying it was investigating an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis. Viral infection is the most common cause of gastroenteritis, but it can also be caused by bacteria and by contaminated or incorrectly prepared food.
Consultant in public health medicine Dr Regina Kiernan said there were a number of possible causes of the gastroenteritis outbreak. Samples from food at the home and clinical samples from the residents who are ill have been sent for analysis. The results will not be available for a few days.
A post-mortem examination on the man who died was being carried out at Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar today.
St Fionnan’s caters for 32 people, most of whom are aged over 70.
The HSE said tonight there were 12 residents suffering from symptoms of acute gastroenteritis at the unit. It was investigating if the death of the elderly resident was connected.
“All residents in the community nursing unit (CNU) are under the care of the local general practitioners and are being cared for by the nursing staff at the unit. Additional staff have been brought in to assist with the care of the residents at this time,” the HSE said.
It said a multidisciplinary outbreak control team chaired by a public health specialist has been established to investigate the outbreak.
“All infection control measures to control this outbreak have been implemented by the nursing unit in accordance with advice from the environmental health and public health departments, HSE West.
“Specialist microbiological advice has also been obtained. Investigations and sampling are underway to try and establish the cause of this outbreak.”
Director of nursing at St Fionnan’s, Barbara Moran, said family members of all residents had been contacted to advise them of the outbreak of acute gastroenteritis.
“We have advised these relatives that there are some visiting restrictions in place and to contact the unit in advance of any visits.”
Ms Moran extended the sympathy of all those at the unit to the family of the man who died.
A spokeswoman for the HSE said the laboratory test results are expected over the weekend.
The HSE also said the most important public health advice in relation to such outbreaks was hand-washing, which would help prevent the spread of many infectious diseases, including food poisoning.