Elderly in isolation due to bacteria
Four elderly residents of nursing home De Riethorst in Geertruidenberg will be moved to an isolated location Wednesday. Last week it was announced that they have been infected with the carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella intestinal bacteria (KPC), which is dangerous for people with impaired immune systems.The infection can not be treated with antibiotics, so it was decided to separate the four elderly from the other residents by taking them to a different facility where they can be nursed back to health.
The outbreak of KPC began with a patient who contracted the bacteria in Greece. After five weeks in a Greek intensive care, the patient was moved to the Amphia Hospital in Breda, where the bacterium was found. Although the patient was nursed in isolation, and all the necessary precautions had been taken, another person was infected in the hospital as well.
After the relocation of the four patients, the remaining inhabitants on the rehabilitation division of the Brabant nursing home will be retested. If the test results show no new infections, new patients can again be admitted. The nursing home expects to be back to its daily routine by next week.
