The ongoing outbreak of the bacterium pseudomonas aeruginosa has spread to all four Norwegian health regions, and 160 cases of infection have been reported so far.
The outbreak was first discovered in November at the University Hospital of Northern Norway (UNN) in Tromsø.
The bacterium is a common bacterium that often thrives in a hospital environment. It rarely causes disease in healthy people but can cause serious infection in intensive care patients and patients with weakened immune systems, according to the National Institute of Public Health (FHI).
Three corona patients at the UNN died in November after being infected by the bacterium. The FHI considers the outbreak serious and is currently working on getting the best possible overview of the situation and limiting the outbreak.
Common source of infection?
“We are also looking for a possible common source of infection such as medical equipment or other products,” Kirsten Gravningen at the FHI noted.
Analyzes of the bacterium show that the outbreak strain has not been described in Norway or any other country before. The three patients who died in early November were treated intensively for the coronavirus but died of sepsis and acute circulatory failure due to bacterial infection with the bacterium pseudomonas aeruginosa.
The bacterium is very resistant to antibiotics, the FHI warned.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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