Hospital alerts former patients after TB scare

ST JOHN’S hospital in Limerick has issued an alert to former patients after a short-term care worker was found to have TB.

A hospital spokesman said: “All relevant services within the hospital and the HSE Mid West have been involved in reviewing the situation.

“The nature of employment of the person involved did not lead to significant patient contact and accordingly, the risk of these patients contracting TB is extremely low.”

The hospital has identified each patient who had contact with the care worker and has written to them and to their GPs.

The spokesman said: “The hospital has provided detailed contact arrangements for those who may wish to discuss the matter or require further information.”

Meanwhile, screening of staff at the Regional Maternity hospital has failed to locate the source of an outbreak of the so-called scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) in five babies born there.

While individual cases have been diagnosed in various parts of the county this was the first documented cluster outbreak of the condition in Ireland.

All five babies were successfully treated after they were diagnosed.

The HSE immediately set up a screening operation as they suspected the infection may have originated from a staff member who is a carrier of SSSS.