One of the medical wards at Noble's Hospital has been temporarily closed to new admissions because of the presence of MRSA (meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus).
The patients on the affected ward and their relatives have been informed and assured that all the necessary precautions have been put in place. Scrupulous hand hygiene by all staff and visitors and a high level of environmental cleanliness are essential measures for containing the bug.
Visitors to Noble's Hospital and the Island's other health and social care facilities are reminded of the importance of good hand hygiene – particularly after using the toilet and before and after eating, entering a ward, and touching the person they are visiting – using sanitising hand gels where available.
A small number of patients currently affected are carrying MRSA rather than infected with it: they are showing no signs or symptoms of associated illness or infection. Precautionary measures put in place will help contain any further spread.
MRSA is a type of bacteria that is resistant to a number of commonly used antibiotics. This means MRSA infections can be more difficult to treat than other bacterial infections.
MRSA is usually spread through skin-to-skin contact with someone who has an MRSA infection or has the bacteria living on their skin. The bacteria can also be spread through contact with contaminated objects such dressings, sheets and hard surfaces.
Update: 01/07/2015
Noble's Hospital has confirmed that the medical ward which was closed to admissions reopened on Tuesday 30 June at 5pm, following a thorough deep clean of the ward. Though there are still some patients who are carrying MRSA on their skin, they have been isolated within the ward. No patient has shown signs or symptoms of MRSA associated illness or infection. No other wards are affected. Infection control practices and policies have been followed and are actively enforced throughout the hospital. The risk of infection has been managed following the precautionary measures being put in place to prevent the spread of the bacteria.
