Seven die from MRSA superbug in past 10 days

SEVEN people have died from the MRSA superbug in the past 10 days according to the support group for families affected by the deadly organism.

Margaret Dawson, founder of the MRSA and Families support group, said she had been contacted by seven families informing her of the deaths in recent days.

She said the victims, aged from 50 to 75, included men and women from all parts of the country.

Ms Dawson, whose husband Joe contracted MRSA after an operation to relieve chronic pain to his upper spine last year, described the situation as “very disturbing”.

“We have a huge crisis, seven recent deaths reported to us and probably more going unreported. What’s more, people who contract MRSA in hospital and are in need of follow-up procedures are finding themselves being turned away,” she said.

Last night, Galway-based solicitor Ian Simon, who is representing up to 100 clients seeking to sue the State on the grounds either they or a family member acquired MRSA in hospitals, said the number of people reporting deaths from the superbug seemed to be on the increase.

“Because of a lack of information they are not only seeking the help of the MRSA and Families support group but are also seeking legal advice,” he said.

Mr Simon is hoping to have his first case, that of gravely ill Kilkenny woman Anne Brennan, before the courts early next year.

If successful, the case could spark a raft of claims and expose the Government to a massive legal bill.

While a spokesman for the HSE last night played down Ms Dawson’s claim, saying it was “extremely unlikely” such a high number of deaths had occurred in such a short period, Fine Gael health spokesman Dr Liam Twomey said the figure was acceptable.

“If you consider that in the first six months of this year 314 people acquired blood-borne MRSA, most likely septicaemia, there is no doubt a percentage of them would not recover.”

Last week, health experts, including representatives from the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive and the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, admitted methods of collecting data on the rate of MRSA infection were inadequate, mainly due to a lack of resources.

Dr Teresa Graham, a lecturer in sociology and counselling and a member of the MRSA support group, whose cancer-suffering husband Dermot contracted MRSA and subsequently died, said they would meet at the weekend to discuss setting up a national database to record MRSA-related deaths. The group will meet Health Minister Mary Harney on December 1.

More than 600 families have contacted the group since its launch in May.

Last night the HSE said €20 million had been set aside for hygiene and infection control in hospitals.