Hospital Takes Precautions and Closes Admissions to a Unit

Windsor Ont

Windsor Regional Hospital is erring on the side of patient safety by closing admissions to the 4 West Oncology Unit.

A total of nine (9) patients have tested positive for either VRE, MSRA and C.Diff over the past three (3) weeks on the unit. Six (6) of these patients are still in hospital.

Enterococci are bacteria that are normally presented in the human intestines and in the female genital tract and are often found in the environment. Vancomycin is an antibiotic that is often used to treat infections caused by Enterococci. In some instances, Enterococci have become resistant to this drug and thus are called Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE).

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium responsible for several difficult-to-treat infections in humans. S. aureus most commonly colonizes the anterior nares (the nostrils). In most patients, MRSA can be detected by swabbing the nostrils and isolating the bacteria found inside.

Clostridium difficile (often called C. difficile or C. diff) is a bacterium that can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. Illness from C. difficile most commonly affects older adults in hospitals or in long term care facilities and typically occurs after use of antibiotic medications

As a result, erring on the side of caution, no admissions are being accepted on the Unit and to avoid any further spread of the infection, visitation will be limited of no more than two visitors per patient unless for compassionate reasons to that unit.

All other floors or services, including but not limited to Emergency Department services, are NOT impacted by the closure of admissions to this particular unit.

"The entire hospital team of professional staff, nurses, housekeepers and infection prevention and control staff are working tirelessly to provide a safe environment and to minimize and eliminate the spread of infection." stated David Musyj, President and CEO, Windsor Regional Hospital. David went on further "we have taken this precautionary step in order to avoid an outbreak situation and to avoid any further transmission to any other patients".

Windsor Regional Hospital continues to advocate that "clean hands save lives" and once again asks all visitors and staff to continue to wash their hands before and after contact with any patient or entering or exiting the hospital.

It is estimated that the unit will be closed for admissions for approximately one week or until it can be confirmed that there is no further spread of any infection on the unit.

For further information contact:

Ron Foster, VP, Public Affairs, Communications

519-995-2482 (cell) / 519-254-5577 Ext 52003 (o) / ron_foster@wrh.on.ca