(Montreal) Despite the concern aroused by the discovery of the first two cases of people carrying the dangerous fungus candida aurisat the Pierre-Boucher Hospital in Longueuil, it seems that the outbreak is under control.
Posted at 11:07 a.m.
The Montérégie-Est Integrated Health and Social Services Center (CISSSME) confirmed to The Canadian Press that following numerous screening tests carried out on other users of the care unit concerned, no new results positive has been reported.
The CISSSME reported two cases of patients carrying the candida auris since September 8. None of these two patients, however, would have developed an infection. One of the patients died from a cause not believed to be related to the fungus.
By email, media relations advisor Caroline Doucet indicates that a patient carrying the pathogen remains in isolation.
Screening tests have since been carried out with users hospitalized on the unit in outbreak, those who have transited on this unit, as well as those who have been hospitalized on another unit where the carrier patient stayed.
In order to ensure that the outbreak is properly contained, “the infection prevention and control measures […] are still applied,” it says.
These measures must remain in effect until the date identified as signaling the end of the outbreak, i.e. October 13, if no new cases are detected by then.
In addition, an epidemiological public health investigation is still in progress in order to identify the source of the transmission of the candida auris.
Recall that this candida auris is a yeast known for its resistance to antifungal treatments. If a carrier becomes infected, they can suffer severe health problems that can even lead to death.