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Viral infection at maternity hospital contained, says director
View(s):An infection that caused two deaths has been effectively contained and all admissions, clinics and routine activities of the premier women’s hospital are continuing, a top official said. The viral infection which caused the two deaths has been identified as Influenza A by the Medical Research Institute (MRI) and all precautions taken to protect the other patients, Dr. W.K. Wickremasinghe, the Director of the 485-bed Castle Street Hospital for Women, Colombo, told the Sunday Times.
The Universal Infection Control Precautions recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) which are usually implemented at the hospital have been strengthened, he said, explaining that as of Friday (April 26) some of the other eight patients with Influenza A who had been isolated and recovered have been discharged. With new admissions yesterday (April 27), there are six patients with Influenza A in isolation.
There are no complications and the patients are under anti-viral treatment which comes in the form of tablets. As one patient is still recovering in the Intensive Care Unit, arrangements have been made for ICU facilities elsewhere in the hospital, so as not to expose any other patient to the virus, Dr. Wickremasinghe said, explaining that under infection control precautions the staff is wearing protective gear, while the hand-washing regimen is also being strictly followed and linen is being scrupulously sterilised.
Patients coming to the Outpatients Department are screened for the infection before admission and if anyone is diagnosed with Influenza A symptoms, she too is sent into isolation, it is learnt.
Pointing out that Influenza A is in the environment, in homes, workplaces and public areas, the Director said that expectant mothers were more prone to get severely affected because pregnancy weakens their immunity. Therefore, they have to be cared for more stringently as they can often catch a bacterial infection on top of that.
While the baby of one mother who died is alive and well, the other baby died in the womb along with the mother, the Sunday Times understands.
Expectant mothers should not ignore cough, fever symptoms
Cautioning expectant mothers not to ignore symptoms such as cough, fever and difficulty in breathing when at home, Dr. Wickremasinghe urges them to seek early treatment from a qualified doctor.
“Don’t ignore the symptoms and hope they will go away, in the belief that taking medication during pregnancy is harmful,” he says, reiterating that it would be more harmful to both mother and unborn baby if treatment is not sought from a doctor when having these symptoms.
Take precautions to prevent catching Influenza A, is his advice, and expectant mothers should try to keep away, as much as possible, from people who are ill.
Influenza or flu is an acute viral infection that spreads easily from person to person. There are three types of seasonal influenza – A, B and C, according to the WHO, and the ‘incubation period’ or the time from infection to illness is about two days.
The signs and symptoms of influenza include a sudden onset of high fever, cough (usually dry), headache, muscle and joint pain, severe malaise (feeling unwell), sore throat and runny nose. While most people will recover from fever and other symptoms within a week, influenza can cause severe illness or death in people at high risk.
Influenza can spread when an infected person coughs and the droplets get into the air and another person breathes them in. The virus can also be spread by hands infected with the virus.
To prevent transmission, the WHO advises that people should cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing and wash their hands regularly. Immediate disposal of such tissues is also important in preventing its spread.
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