10 Facts You Need To Know About The Bacteria Killing Newborns at Tembisa Hospital. The Gauteng Health Department have confirmed that 10 newborns have lost their lives since November 2019, due to an outbreak of Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.
- 17 cases have been reported since last year to date, resulting in 10 lives being lost.
- Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae is the name given to the bacteria which can resist the effects of antibiotics.
- This disease is able to produce enzymes which successfully disable the drug itself.
- It’s believed that half of all patients who contract CRE die as a result.
- CRE is difficult to treat because it has a high resistance to antibiotics and can cause deadly infections in the bloodstream, lungs and urinary tract, including pneumonia and meningitis.
- CRE multiplies more if medical equipment isn’t cleaned properly, as it is believed to be the case with Tembisa Hospital.
- The infection is viral and it can be passed from person to person.
- In a place like Tembisa Hospital, the disease doesn’t have far to travel before it claims a victim.
- The infections can also spread by touching medical equipment or a contaminated surface that has come in contact with the bacteria, such as a bed rail.
- Those most likely to be affected are female, and patients who have been on a drip or those using breathing apparatus during a stay in hospital.
