NICU Update

Further to the NICU stories of recent days, a brief update:

*The following comments may be attributed to Dr Mark Jones, Microbiologist, Wellington Hospital:*

"We have completed screening of all babies who are currently in the unit. The total number who tested positive for this new strain of Staph aureus is nine. This consists of the eight babies who were already known to have the bug (the babies in the 'red zone') - and an additional baby who was in the 'orange zone' and who has now been moved to a separate room.

"In terms of infection control protocols, the 'orange zone' houses babies who were known to have potentially been in contact with the bug - so the fact that a baby in this zone has tested positive is not, in and of itself, surprising.

"We are pleased to note that no babies in the 'green zone' have contracted this bug, which would tend to indicate that our infection control protocols are working as expected.

"It should be emphasised that none of the nine babies in our unit who have tested positive for this bug are infected by it. In other words, while they do have the bug, they are not showing any ill effects from it. All of these babies are responding well to treatment."

ENDS

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