An outbreak of C. difficile bacteria has closed a 40-bed ward at 91原创 Memorial Hospital to new admissions.
The Fraser Health Authority announced the outbreak in the 4-south medicine unit online, saying a halt to admissions and transfers has been ordered unless 鈥渕edically warranted.鈥�
Four patients were diagnosed with the bacteria.
One has recovered and has gone home.
The ward was not expected to open to new patients until Sept. 1 at the earliest.
The usually affects people on antibiotics.
It can cause bloating, diarrhea and sometimes-severe abdominal pain. In some cases it can be life-threatening.
In June of last year, praised staff in 4-south for tackling what were described as 鈥渃hronically high levels of C. difficile鈥� in the unit.
According to the blog, C. difficile is a problem at 91原创 Memorial because of the hospital鈥檚 age and number of patients.
鈥淎s an older facility, there are not as many sinks for hand cleaning and like others in the region, capacity issues pose added challenges,鈥� the blog said, adding that while 4-south is a 40-bed unit, it often cares for 48 patients at a time.
Staff decided to have a C-diff Awareness Month in April, posting signs and wearing yellow 鈥楽top C-diff Now鈥� T-shirts. Patients were discouraged from receiving flowers and other gifts to help create a cleaner environment, and were asked to clean their hands before each meal.
The campaign was considered a success because there were no new cases of C. difficile during one week in April, 鈥渨hich had been almost unheard of,鈥� the blog noted.
Because many C-difficile cases occur outside the hospital, nurses on the unit now ask emergency staff if an admitted patient has diarrhea, so screening tests can be ordered.
