Six patients have been treated in the Erne Hospital for Clostridium Difficile since the start of this year.
Figures for Clostridium Difficile at Erne Hospital, most recently ratified internally by the Western Health and Social Care Trust show two patients were treated in January, one in February and three during March. There is no evidence to date of patients in Western Trust hospitals having the more virulent form Clostridium Difficile 027.
The Trust has said it is continuing to take every measure possible to contain the incidence of Clostridium Difficile, and called for the public to help them prevent the spread of infection in the hospital.
Alan Corry-Finn, the Trust's Director of Primary Care, Older People's Services and Nursing issued some advice to people visiting the Erne.
Mr Finn explained: "We all have a role to play in managing and preventing the spread of infection in healthcare settings. We would ask visitors to the hospital to thoroughly wash their hands before and after visiting, avoid visiting the hospital if they are feeling unwell, particularly if they have diarrhoea or vomiting, and we would ask them not to bring small children to visit".
He explained there would be 'Alert' notices highlighting if someone is visiting a patient with symptoms of the infection.
"We would ask those visiting to co-operate with infection control measures. Please ask a member of staff if you are in any doubt about appropriate measures. We would ask visitors to visit only one patient whilst at the hospital, to refrain from sitting on hospital beds and not to move among patients and from ward to ward when visiting.
"By doing this. you can help us to protect and care for those people in hospital who are most vulnerable to infection," he continued.
Mr Corry-Finn said the Trust was remaining vigilant and doing all that it could to prevent and manage any spread of infection throughout all its health and social care environments.
"Our highly skilled and committed Infection Prevention and Control Team (IPCT) continue to work very closely with frontline staff to ensure the consistent and rigorous application of evidence-based infection prevention and control techniques", he added.
