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'Serious infection' outbreak at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital 'Unusual infection' outbreak at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital
(35 minutes later)
A rare infection has broken out within the intensive care unit at Northern Ireland's biggest hospital. An unusual strain of an infection has broken out in the intensive care unit at Northern Ireland's biggest hospital.
Four patients at the unit in Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital have tested positive for the Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria. Four patients at the unit in Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) have tested positive for the Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria.
The bug is resistant to several drugs and presents a risk to very ill people.
Belfast Health Trust's director of nursing, Brenda Creaney, told the BBC's Nolan Show it was a "serious infection" but control measures were in place.Belfast Health Trust's director of nursing, Brenda Creaney, told the BBC's Nolan Show it was a "serious infection" but control measures were in place.
The bug is resistant to several drugs and presents a risk to very ill people.
'Isolated''Isolated'
Ms Creaney, who also lead the trust's infection control policy, confirmed the outbreak was discovered three weeks ago. Acinetobacter bacteria is found readily in the environment and many healthy people carry it on their skin.
She said the four infected patients are currently isolated within the unit. However, certain strains of the bug - particularly Acinetobacter baumannii - can cause infections in hospital patients who are already unwell.
Other patients are being regularly tested for the bug, but to date there have been no further cases. Ms Creaney, who leads Belfast Health Trust's infection control policy, confirmed the RVH outbreak was discovered three weeks ago.
"This is an infection which is present within the environment and certainly people who are well would be fine with this infection, but obviously in an intensive care unit the patients are very vulnerable, which is why we've been taking the very stringent steps we have," she said.
She told the programme the four infected patients have been isolated within the unit.
'Deep clean'
Other patients are being regularly tested for the bug, but to date there have been no further cases, according to Ms Creaney.
In a statement, Belfast Health Trust said: "An outbreak has been declared and the unit is currently undergoing an intensive deep clean process and all infection control procedures are being regularly monitored."In a statement, Belfast Health Trust said: "An outbreak has been declared and the unit is currently undergoing an intensive deep clean process and all infection control procedures are being regularly monitored."
The trust described the bug as "an unusual multi-resistant micro-organism".The trust described the bug as "an unusual multi-resistant micro-organism".
The statement added: "The trust would like to assure the public that robust infection prevention and control measures are in place and we are working closely with the Public Health Agency and all other trusts to control the spread of this organism."The statement added: "The trust would like to assure the public that robust infection prevention and control measures are in place and we are working closely with the Public Health Agency and all other trusts to control the spread of this organism."
It has asked visitors to intensive care to help prevent the spread of infection by washing their hands when entering and leaving the unit.