The outbreak was declared on Friday December 17 when two newly-delivered maternity patients became ill within 48 hrs of each other. A third patient became ill with Strep A on December 19.
Strep A is causing widespread mild illness in the community, with many people experiencing sore throats and minor infections, and it is likely that this infection was brought into the hospital from the community.
Declaring the outbreak ensured that staff, physicians, patients and visitors had heightened awareness and vigilance, particularly around increased infection control practices. These included:
- Enhanced hand hygiene practices.
- Increased cleaning and housekeeping.
- Visitor restrictions that imposed a maximum of two (healthy) support people in labour and delivery people and two (healthy) visitors per mother on the unit following delivery.
- The exclusion of children under the age of 16 and any visitors who were experiencing sore throat, coughs, fever or flu-like symptoms.
While the outbreak has been declared over, visitor restrictions will remain in place in the Labour and Delivery Room and the OR (for caesarian sections). These restrictions will limit the number of support people to two, both of whom must be healthy. Because of the potential for very serious illness – or even death – from Strep A, these restrictions will remain in place for the time being.
Once again, VIHA apologizes for any inconvenience that this may cause, however it is important to protect vulnerable new moms and their babes from preventable risks at a time when infection is most likely to occur.
Group A Streptococcus is a bacteria that is normally found in the nose and throat or on the skin of healthy people, without causing illness. When they do cause illness, the resulting diseases are classified into one of two categories; invasive or non-invasive. Invasive Group A Streptococcus infections are systemic and occur in the blood stream while non-invasive Group A Streptococcus infections are localized at the wound site.
The bacteria is only transmitted from person-to-person when there is close personal contact, however there are rarely secondary cases from invasive Group A Strep. Good personal hygiene can help prevent infection. This includes frequent hand washing and not sharing any item that may have saliva on it (e.g. cutlery, drinking glasses). Hand hygiene is always critical for staff, physicians, patients and visitors upon entering and leaving the hospital and patient rooms.
– 30 –
Media Contact:
Shannon Marshall
VIHA Communications
250-370-8270
Note to newsrooms: For urgent media inquiries off-hours, call our emergency pager at (250) 389-7317