Health Minister commissions emergency team to deal with deadly superbug that could potentially cause havoc at the nations hospitals – TheLiberal.ie – Our News, Your Views

Health Minister commissions emergency team to deal with deadly superbug that could potentially cause havoc at the nations hospitals




The nations hospitals could soon become under a lot more pressure in the coming months ahead as staff across the country are battling to contain a potentially dangerous superbug from spreading.

In an already busy period of the year for overworked healthcare officials, doctors and nursing staff could soon find themselves being stretched even further as a number of hospitals are have been forced to introduce drastic measures to contain the deadly Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) superbug.

The spread of the bug which can prove fatal in some cases has now prompted the Minister for Health to call for a National Public Health Emergency team to monitor the situation at all hospitals affected.

Mr Harris who recently revealed that he has already been briefed on the seriousness of the situation said the team has been purposely set up to help assist staff at hospitals nationwide by highlighting the issue and to provide information on how to contain the superbug.

The Health Minister also said the team will provide week to week reports on the situation and they will assist the HSE in the event of a national emergency.

Mr Harris added that the countries hospitals must be prepared to deal with any potential outbreak as the superbug has been known to place restrictions on hospitals and healthcare facilities in the past.

He also alluded to cases in recent years which seen hospitals being forced to close in the region of 50 beds in order to stop the spread of the virus.

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