Killer superbug Klebsiella outbreak at Stanger Hospital
If the babies deaths are directly linked to Klebsiella, it would be one of the deadliest outbreaks of the virus since 2005
THREE newborn babies died last week amid an alleged outbreak of the deadly Klebsiella virus at Stanger Hospital.
The Department of Health in KZN on Thursday confirmed it is investigating the deaths after allegations it was keeping an outbreak ‘under wraps’.
According to health department spokesman Sam Mkhwanazi, as many as nine cases of Klebsiella pneumonia were recently identified at the hospital.
‘The department is investigating whether the subsequent demise of three neonates out the nine cases is directly linked to the virus or other causes, as these were high-risk neonates,’ Mkhwanazi said on Thursday.
If the babies deaths are directly linked to Klebsiella, it would be one of the deadliest outbreaks of the virus since 2005, when 22 babies died at the Mahatma Ghandi Memorial Hospital in Durban.
Democratic Alliance spokesman for health in KZN, Dr Imran Keeka, on Wednesday issued a statement slamming the department for an apparent lack of action to stop the spread of the outbreak.
‘According to information from a senior medical source within the hospital, five cases were confirmed last week by culture,’ Keeka said on Wednesday.
‘While the strain is sensitive to antibiotics available it seems virulent in nature. Sadly, five severely infected babies succumbed within 24 hours as a result of complications after acquiring the infection within the facility.
‘These babies died as a result of lung complications,’ he said.
The Klebsiella bacteria, in an ICU setting can cause life threatening or fatal septicaemia, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, skin infections and other infections.
Responsive
‘Since the demise of the three neonates at Stanger Hospital, an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) team from head office as well as a microbiologist from the National Health Laboratory Service based in Durban has been to the hospital to conduct an environmental and source detection,’ Mkhwanazi said.
‘To mitigate the spread of infection, a decision has been taken to decongest and disinfect the affected ward in the neonatal nursery in order to prevent further spread of the infection,’ he continued.
‘Contingency plans have also been put in place to accommodate new admissions, while preventing the mixing of babies.
‘The neonatal nursery admits on average two to three neonates per day, approximately two thirds of which are pre-term babies. On average, two neonates are ventilated with three in high care using oxygen continuously,’ Mkhwanazi explained, saying these newborns were at the greatest risk of infections.
‘The hospital generally has adequate systems for IPC and is compliant with IPC protocols.’
He further explained that quarterly audits were done to assure these protocols were in place, a counter to claims by Keeka that these audits were only done on an annual basis.
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