BELIZE-HEALTH-Death of babies linked to bacteria outbreak

BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC - The death of 12 babies at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital (KHMH), has been linked to the outbreak of it enterobacter cloacae – an organism that is said to be responsible for major outbreaks in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) all over the world. In a release on Wednesday, Director of Medical Services at the hospital, Dr. Adrian Coye noted that the organism is not a superbug. “The problem lies in the fact that it is very fastidious, difficult to clear and there is transmission by direct contact and also by indirect contact. So it can be on the skin of any of us right now in this room, on your clothing material, on stethoscopes, on IV drip stands, the surfaces in the clinical area, etc” he said.