An outbreak of VRE (Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus) outbreak in the C3 West/Mills 3Link at the St. Catharines General Hospital Site has been declared over today.
An outbreak is declared when the number of hospital-associated cases is higher than what is seen as the normal threshold. There were a total of 10 cases associated with the outbreak.
The VRE outbreak was declared on Monday, August 20, 2012.
“We are grateful for everyone’s efforts to get out of outbreak and will continue to go above and beyond with our infection prevention and control practices.
“Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to continue to provide our patients with care during the outbreak while also ensuring heightened infection prevention and control measures,” says Kim Stephens-Woods, Vice President, Patient Services. “Good hand hygiene practice of everyone coming in to and exiting the hospital sites is the single most effective way to help prevent the spread of infection.“
About VRE (Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus)
Enterococci are germs that live in the gastrointestinal tract (bowels) of most people and generally do not cause harm (this is termed ‘colonization’). Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are strains of enterococci that are resistant to the antibiotic vancomycin. If a person has an infection caused by VRE, such as a urinary tract infection or blood infection, it may be more difficult to treat. VRE is spread from one person to another by contact.
