Inverness hospital ward re-opens after superbug deep clean
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A SECOND ward which had to be closed at Raigmore Hospital due to the superbug Clostridium difficile has re-opened.
Ward 6C was shut down yesterday for 24 hours to allow NHS Highland to carry out a deep clean after an isolated case was confirmed earlier this week.
It followed the closure of ward 4C last month when 10 cases of the superbug were confirmed, eight linked to the outbreak.
One patient who contracted the infection in the community, died shortly after being admitted, due to an existing medical condition.
Infection control measures were placed in ward 6C and the affected patient remains in isolation.
"Again I would like to clarify that this was one isolated case of Clostridium difficile in one of our medical wards," said Una Lyon, lead nurse for Raigmore Hospital.
"Ward 6C was closed to admissions to allow the cleaning to take place with as little interruption as possible."
Clostridium difficile particularly affects patients who are on strong antibiotics so there can be sporadic cases in hospitals.
It is a serious problem for hospitals because many patients are on antibiotics and are also already sick which makes them susceptible.
