The Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) has moved to assure the public that the Multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) outbreak in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has been brought under control.
The hospital said in a statement that the MDRO "Barcolderia specia" was detected in a sample taken from a child in the NICU on 27 March.
The child was immediately isolated and infection control measures were taken to prevent further spread of the virus, the hospital said.
According to IGMH, further samples taken after the case showed the virus in four other infants admitted to the NICU, all of whom were on ventilators.
To prevent further spread of the virus, all four babies are being closely monitored with isolation and infection control measures, IGMH said, adding that each baby is treated according to their clinical status and tests are done to identify possible sources of contamination in the NICU.
A total of 84 children have been admitted to the NICU since 27 March. A total of 10 children are currently being treated in the NICU, five of whom are being treated for infection. The five children are being treated in isolation with precautionary measures, IGMH added.
IGMH said the control measures appear to have worked as no further cases have been reported since 15 April.
Arrangements are being made to send the infected infants abroad for further treatment. IGMH also assured that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the health and safety of the patients at the hospital.