C diff outbreak in Navan hospital sees surgery cancelled

An outbreak of the potentially deadly Clostridium difficile (C diff) infection at Our Lady's Hospital in Navan has seen the closure of 33 beds this week. There have been two confirmed cases of the infection, which can be life-threatening, and the HSE has indcated that another 10 patients in Navan are suspected of having the bug. A multinational specialist deep cleaning company moved into the hospital on Monday and strict infection control procedures have been implemented. A total of 30 surgical procedures and 35 physiotherapy appointments were cancelled early this week and stringent visiting restrictions have been put in place. All elective orthpaedic procedures and some general surgery has been cancelled until further notice. The outbreak was described as "a major setback" by the Mayor of Navan, Cllr Joe Reilly, who said cancelled procedures would cause huge hardship for many people who are in need of surgery and in pain. He said the outbreak also raised the question why we have such high levels of the infection in Ireland in comparison to other countries. He asked if it was the large numbers of people in close proximity to each other, hygiene levels or the fact that visitors are not faced with mandatory hand-washing when entering and leaving hospitals. Cllr Reilly urged the public to do as the HSE advised and to keep away from the hospital unless absolutely necessary. Deputy Damien English also stressed the need to quickly get the infection under control. "Patients of Our Lady's will now have to cope with ward closures and cancelled procedures, while the hospital gets this infection under control. I hope they can achieve that quickly. "The outbreak is a reminder to all that services in Navan Hospital must be maintained to the highest standard and the Government must not reduce services until the regional general hospital is provided," he said. Meanwhile, Bioquell, a specialised multinational cleaning company, has been brought in to assist with the deep cleaning of affected wards and hospital equipment and arrived on-site in Navan on Monday. According to the HSE, additional infection control procedures have been implemented at the hospital, including stringent isolation and control measures. There has been a targeted emphasis on mandatory hand hygiene and other measures and restrictions on the use of certain antibiotics, laxatives and other drugs in line with expert advice. Strict visiting restrictions are being implemented at the hospital and, where visitors are permitted, they are being advised of the need for appropriate hygiene protocols. All visitors to the hospital are being urged to wash their hands thoroughly before and after their visits and to use the antibacterial hand gels provided. Meanwhile, there were 12 patients who had tested positive for the infection in Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda on Monday and all elective procedures have been cancelled there also. Patients have been warned to keep away from the accident and emergency department, except in a genuine emergency, and to contact their GP or out-of-hours surgery first. Clostridium difficile is a major cause of diarrhoea following antibiotic therapy. It can also cause no symptoms at all, but in some cases it causes severe inflammation of the bowel, which can be life-threatening. Most infections occur in hospitals and nursing homes, although it can also occur in the community. Most of those affected are elderly patients with underlying illnesses.