CUH has spent over two years battling superbug CPE

The hospital has spent nearly all of this year battling multiple outbreaks of the superbug CPE at the same time it was battling Covid-19

CPE is typically found in hospital settings, and is the most difficult superbug to kill with antibiotics. File picture: Shutterstock 

Cork University Hospital has spent over two years struggling to contain outbreaks of a dangerous superbug, despite strong criticisms from health watchdog Hiqa about infection control in 2018.

The hospital has spent nearly all of this year battling multiple outbreaks of the superbug Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriales (CPE) at the same time it was battling Covid-19. 

CPE has been an issue for CUH since as far back as July 2018 when an outbreak was first noted. A further outbreak was found in November of that year.

CPE is typically found in hospital settings, and is the most difficult superbug to kill with antibiotics.

Newly-released documents show the majority of positive cases stemmed from a single ward, one long overdue for refurbishment.

Hiqa conducted an unannounced inspection of the hospital in November 2018, raising “significant concerns” about the “overall approach taken at CUH” to effectively manage risks to patients from infection.

It said that the hospital had “specifically deviated” from expected outbreak control measures by cohorting patients with the bug in a multi-bed room without proper hygiene facilities, and in terms of failing to adapt the necessary cleaning standards needed to effectively deal with an outbreak.

New records show that, far from eradicating the bug, the hospital has still engaged in substandard infection control practices throughout 2020 as multiple outbreaks occurred.

The data, released under Freedom of Information, shows the bug has maintained a presence on the hospital’s wards over the past 10 months despite daily reporting on its status and regular CPE-specific management meetings.

Patients with the bug were routinely located in different wards, the same problem seen during the Hiqa inspection when seven cases were found in four different areas of the hospital.

Substandard hygiene practices remained the norm while, echoing the Hiqa report’s criticism of the decision to reopen a CPE-stricken ward in 2018, patients with the bug or close contacts of same were moved from location to location in a bid to ‘maximise’ space.

Separately, medical equipment was routinely shared across wards, while screening for the bug was repeatedly cited by management as being substandard and ineffective, only reaching minimum expected levels in September.

CUH was asked a series of questions about the CPE superbug including whether the Covid-19 outbreak has made eradicating CPE more difficult. 

The hospital declined to comment on the impact of Covid-19 on the CPE effort. A spokesperson said it had “no current” CPE cases as of November 5. 

However, on October 29 it had five patients with the illness on five separate wards, with a further five close contacts present among the patient roster. 

Asked to clarify, the spokesperson said the hospital had “no new CPE cases”.