Lethbridge hospital unit reopens after C. difficile infection

The Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge is reopening a unit that was closedbecause ofa C. difficile infection.

Unit 4C was closed April 24because of concerns over a C. difficile infectionamong patients. The infection is difficult to treat and officials decided not to allow new patients until it was under control.

The bacteria can live for long periods of time on surfaces.

AHS officials say that there have been no new incidents of C. difficile infections acquired in hospital since the infection control measures were put in place.

To fight the infection, officials say they isolated all infected patients into Unit 4C, limited visitors and advised all visitors to wash their hands before and after visiting the unit. They also limited medical and support staff access to the unit and conducted extra cleaning of the rooms and equipment.

However, there are still four patients at the hospital with symptoms of C. difficile.

Testing of those patients shows that the infections were not acquired during their time in hospital.