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Beaver THE OAKVILLE N O RT H A M E R I C A' S M O S T AWA R D E D C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R A member of Metroland Media Group Ltd. Vol. 47 No. 62 Kenya or bust! PAGE 37 www.oakvillebeaver.com Accounting Services Inc. since 1992 BOOKKEEPING TAXATION 905-845-2484 info@rickman.ca www. oakvillebeaver .com FRIDAY, MAY 23, 2008 64 Pages $1.00 (plus GST) "USING COMMUNICATION TO BUILD BETTER COMMUNITIES" OTMH battling deadly superbug Three deaths in past six months blamed on C. difficile, while 15 other patients had super bug when they died By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF An extremely potent version of the common hospital bacteria C. difficile has flexed its muscle at OakvilleTrafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) -- with fatal consequences. The hospital is not in outbreak mode, but is tracking the super bug after three hospital patients died of it over the last five months. "We are not in an outbreak situation, but still we are taking it very seriously," said Dr. Neil Rau, an infectious "We aren't sitting around counting numbers, we are being very proactive, but it is a challenge, a real challenge." Trish Carlton, OTMH communications Inside Home and Garden..........................29 Artscene...........................................44 Sports...............................................49 Real Estate.......................................53 Classified ........................................58 Full Delivery: Canadian Tire, Dominion, Leons, Imperial Carpet, Food Basics, Superstore, No Frills, Sobeys, Zellers Partial Delivery: M&M's, Rogers Wireless, Gino's, International Pool and Spa, Giant Carpet, Bluestone, Price Chopper, Holland Park, Home Hardware, Pharma Plus, Rabba Fine Foods, Fortino's, Samko Toy Warehouse, EB Games, Sears, Markham Auctions, Future Shop, Best Buy, Shoppers Drug Mart, Wal-Mart, The Barn, Toys R us, Michael's Gain 2001 Audio Video For home delivery & customer service call (905) 845-9742 Mon., Tues. and Thurs. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Wed. 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Fri. 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat 10 a.m.-3 p.m. NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS call (905) 845-9742 or subscribe online @ www.oakvillebeaver.com See inside today's paper for special subscription offer. disease specialist who is Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Halton Healthcare Services (HHS). As OTMH continues to track the virulent NAP1 strain of C. difficile first identified in Quebec hospitals in 2005, which appears to arrived in the GTA full force last year, the hospital confirms three patients died as a direct result of the super bug in the last five months. "We are responsible to the community to let them know we are trying our best to rid the hospital of C. difficile," said Trish Carlton, of HHS communications. "We aren't sitting around counting numbers, we are being very proactive, but it is a challenge, a real challenge," said Carlton. The three patients were among a total of 18 OTMH patients, who died between November 2007 and April 2008 -- all of whom had C. difficile. Of the 18 OTMH patient deaths, three were directly related to the bacteria -- three too many, said Carlton. Five other patients, who died had C. difficile, but it was deemed indirectly related to their death -- it may have played a role, but was not the direct cause of it. Nine others died of their underlying LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER See Cost page 2 IN THE FRONT LINES: Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) has developed a new cleaning regime to the hospital in a bid to stem or eradicate the C. difficile bacteria that has caused three deaths so far this year at the hospital. Branca Medic, housekeeping staff, is part of a team of employees brought in to specifically clean isolation rooms. Four colour-coded cloths are used for specific areas using a general virucide and sporicidal fluids that kills C. difficile. FORD DRIVE Serving the community for 47 years! FINANCING PROVIDED BY GLENLEVEN CHRYSLER C H RYS L E R · J E E P · D O D G E ROYAL WINDSOR DR. Oakville's Choice \SOUTHDOWN RD. SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 9 WINSTON CHURCHILL BLVD. TRAFALGAR RD.