The Romanian Public Health Directorate in the northeastern Romanian county of Iași has launched an epidemiological investigation at the "St. Maria" Children's Hospital about a possible outbreak of bacterial infections, after six children died in the hospital's intensive care unit in recent days, reports Digi 24 TV, quoted by BTA.
A hospital representative specified that it was a hospital-acquired infection with the bacterium Serratia marcescens, which "can cause respiratory and urinary infections, as well as sepsis-type infections, with extremely aggressive and rapid development in patients with weakened immunity."
He indicated that the first case was registered on September 7, and six others - on September 16.
"The first case was on September 7. At the moment when we had three cases, we declared an outbreak and took the necessary measures, namely limiting admissions to the intensive care unit and providing additional instructions to staff on hand hygiene and cleaning methods (...) On September 16, the next cases appeared and we strengthened the measures by informing them that we would no longer accept patients from other districts," the quoted representative explained.
The intensive care unit of the "St. Mary" Children's Hospital has already been closed after other patients were diagnosed with the same bacteria, the Hotnews website reported.
The deceased children ranged in age from newborns to 8 years old, and had serious underlying illnesses, including meningitis, convulsive syndrome, epilepsy, and others.
The publication notes that the intensive care unit continued to operate after the first cases appeared and was closed to patients until Wednesday, September 24.
According to data presented by the hospital, a total of 9 children were infected with the Serratia marcescens bacteria.