An infection that claimed the lives of three babies in a Belfast hospital has been traced to taps in the neo-natal unit, Northern Ireland’s health minister said this afternoon.
All the taps and connected pipe work in the room at the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital (RJMH) are to be removed as experts try to eradicate all traces of the pseudomonas bacteria, Edwin Poots told the Stormont Assembly.
“I can report that investigations so far have shown that pseudomonas bacteria have been found in a number of taps in the intensive care area of the neo-natal unit in the RJMH,” Mr Poots said.
“The (Belfast) Trust Health Estates team are in the process of removing and replacing all taps and related pipework in the affected area. There is no evidence of pseudomonas in the water system. This indicates that it is likely to be a localised problem.”
It has been confirmed this evening that a seventh baby has the potentially deadly infection. There are no reports of any new babies having the pseudomonas bacteria on their skin as a result of the outbreak.
An outbreak of a different strain of pseudomonas in Derry’s Altnagelvin hospital last month, which claimed the life of one baby, was also linked to the water system in its neo-natal facilities.
Mr Poots said special ultra violet technology may be installed in the North's hospitals in a bid to prevent further outbreaks. He said the incident in Altnagelvin prompted health chiefs to write to all trusts in Northern Ireland reminding them of the infection risks posed by water systems.
Pseudomonas can cause infections in the chest, blood and urinary tract.
The neo-natal unit at the Royal Jubilee, which was emptied in the wake of the outbreak, has undergone a deep clean.
The minister said the baby with suspected pseudomonas had been struck down with pneumonia.
Of three other babies believed to have contracted the infection at the Royal Jubilee, two have recovered and continue to receive neonatal care, while the third initially recovered but subsequently died of unrelated causes.
Mr Poots said six other babies were found to be carrying traces of the bacteria, for example on their skin, but had shown no signs they had contracted the infection.
He said tests has shown that four babies in other hospital neo-natal units - two in Altnagelvin and two in Craigavon, Co Armagh - also had traces of pseudomonas on their skin.
But the minister said none of the four had contracted the infection and said it seemed the babies were not directly linked to the Royal Jubilee outbreak. “It is important to realise that in normal clinical practice in neonatal units it is not uncommon to detect this bacteria on the skin of babies,” he added.
“These findings illustrate the complexity of the situation. Although the main focus to date has been on the neonatal unit in the RJMH, as the bacterium has been found in babies in some of the other neonatal units, management of this situation requires coordination and cooperation between all trusts.
“The Public Health Agency will therefore ensure that all public health aspects are managed, working closely with the Health and Social Care Board regarding the ongoing provision of neonatal services. All Trusts will be involved in taking appropriate action as advised.”
There were three cases of pseudomonas in the episode at Altnagelvin in December last year, resulting in the death of one baby. Of the other two babies, one recovered, while the second was transferred to the Royal Jubilee.
Mr Poots said appropriate infection control measures were implemented when the infant was moved to Belfast and stressed that the strains of pseudomonas found in the neo-natal units at the two hospitals were different.
The minister said he understood the anxiety the outbreak had caused among parents and the community across Northern Ireland and attempted to allay fears.
“Firstly, there have been some concerns about the impact of this outbreak on ability to maintain neo-natal provision in Northern Ireland,” he said.
“I am pleased to report that at present the neo-natal network is managing well. However, the number of babies requiring neo-natal care can change from hour to hour.
“Well-established arrangements are already in place to ensure that when babies require a neo-natal cot they can be transferred to a unit in Northern Ireland or another part of the UK or Republic of Ireland.
“Secondly, I want to reassure women that the delivery wards and all other services at the RJMH are operating as normal. Expectant mothers should attend their appointments as scheduled.”
He went on: “I want to thank all staff across the health sector for their continued dedication and commitment in caring for babies at this difficult time.
“I know that all staff across the entire health sector work tirelessly to provide a safe and caring environment for patients and I would like to express my gratitude to them all.
“In addition I would pay tribute to the work of the Public Health Agency in providing expert health protection advice and to the Health and Social Care Board as they ensure that neo-natal services remain available for babies.
“My priority at present is to manage the outbreak, however it is vital to learn lessons from this situation so that we can reduce the risk of this happening again.”
Sinn Féin MLA, Michelle Gildernew MP, who is also the chair of the Health Committee in the Assembly called for all taps in neo-natal units in Northern Ireland to be replaced with modern fixtures.
PA