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Bacterial infections at Jamaican hospitals kill 18 infants

Xinhua, October 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

The recent outbreak of infectious bacteria at two of Jamaica's major hospitals has killed 18 out of 42 infected infants, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

Karen Webster, Jamaica's national epidemiologist, said there have been four rounds of outbreaks of infections by the Klebsiella and Serratia bacteria at the University Hospital of the West Indies and the Cornwall Regional Hospital.

She said the first round occurred in July, and the others, which are ongoing, started in September.

Health Minister Fenton Ferguson told a press conference on Tuesday that the Caribbean Public Health Agency has been informed of the matter and the regional health monitoring organization is on standby to give assistance.

The minister said experts on infection control from the Pan-American Health Organization are scheduled to arrive in the island to help battle the infections later this week.

Ferguson said his ministry will strengthen infection prevention and control measures though there are standard protocols and procedures in place. Endi