THUNDER BAY — Two more wards at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre are now dealing with an outbreak of VRE, which stands for vancomycin-resistant enterococci bacteria.
The original outbreak, declared on February 1, affected five wards: 1A, 2A, 3A, 3B and 3C.
On Thursday, the hospital said VRE outbreaks had also been declared in the Intensive Care Unit and 2B.
VRE is a multi-drug-resistant bacteria that lives on the skin or in the intestines, usually without causing problems. However, the bacteria can lead to serious infections, especially among people who are already ill or weak.
It spreads on unwashed hands, objects and surfaces, but is rarely transmitted through the air.
Outbreaks cannot be declared over until testing for VRE comes up negative for a period of two weeks. A spokesperson confirmed Thursday that that had not happened so far in any of the affected wards in the Thunder Bay hospital.
