3 Babies Die After Bacterial Outbreak At Newark Hospital: DOH – Newark, NJ Patch
NEWARK, NJ — A pair of premature infants died last week after contracting a bacterial infection in the neonatal intensive care unit of University Hospital in Newark. A third baby passed away last month after catching the same bacteria at the hospital, state health officials announced Tuesday.
Due to other medical conditions related to being born premature, the bacterial infection may not have been the cause of death, New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) officials said.
Despite the unclear role of the bacteria in the infants’ deaths, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka issued a scathing statement on Tuesday, calling the fatalities “stark reminders that an overhaul of the quality of care and the leadership of the hospital is urgently needed.” (Read Baraka’s full statement below)
The bacteria, A. baumannii, causes a variety of diseases ranging from pneumonia to serious blood or wound infections. Symptoms vary and usually pose “very little risk to healthy people,” but people who have weakened immune systems, chronic lung disease or diabetes may be vulnerable, according to the CDC.
The hospital’s own infection control program hadn’t been aware of the two recent infant deaths until staff were contacted by state officials on Monday, according to the DOH.
A University Hospital spokesperson provided Patch with the following statement about the investigation on Tuesday:
“We have worked diligently since the Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria was discovered in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to control the outbreak, and there have been no new cases in the NICU since October. We continue to reinforce proper procedures and protocols with our team.”
DOH officials said that they first became aware of a “bacterial outbreak” at University Hospital on Oct. 1, when two cases of A. baumannii were confirmed in the NICU. Two additional cases were confirmed in lab tests later in October.
On Oct. 25, the DOH reported that one of the infants was transferred to another facility and passed away at the end of September. The death took place before the department was notified of the infections at the Newark hospital’s NICU, officials said.
“Due to the other compounding medical conditions, the exact cause of death is still being investigated,” DOH officials previously said.
Newark Department of Health and Community Wellness Director Mark Wade said that the bacteria doesn’t pose a risk for local residents.
“Unfortunately, the infant had a variety of other compounding medical conditions,” Wade said. “Acinetobacter is a hospital-acquired infection with no community transmission. Rest assured, this does not pose a risk to the Newark community.”
On Monday, the DOH learned that two more of the infected infants passed away. The fourth infant was discharged at the end of last month, officials said.
No new NICU infections have been confirmed at University Hospital since October. However, “major infection control deficiencies” were found during an inspection last month, officials stated.
The department ordered a Directed Plan of Correction on Oct. 25 that required University Hospital to hire a full-time Certified Infection Control Practitioner to guide remediation efforts. The full correction plan can be seen here.
A DOH survey team is investigating the hospital’s internal notification policies, governance, and other factors that relate to reporting of deaths of cases during an ongoing outbreak, state officials said.
MAYOR BARAKA: ‘OVERHAUL IS URGENTLY NEEDED’
On Tuesday, Mayor Ras Baraka issued the following statement about the outbreak at University Hospital:
“The deaths of three premature infants with an Acinetobacter bacteria and the infection of a fourth, all cared for at University Hospital, are stark reminders that an overhaul of the quality of care and the leadership of the hospital is urgently needed. The infants had a variety of other medical conditions, but the fact remains that they contracted the bacteria in the hospital’s neonatal ICU. The Newark Department of Health and Community Wellness will work collaboratively with the New Jersey State Department of Health to continue careful monitoring of the situation in that unit.
“In July, Governor Murphy acted swiftly and decisively in appointing a monitor for University Hospital. Today, more action is needed. The hospital is central to providing health care to Newark residents, and I have been very concerned about its quality of care, its leadership’s failure to live up to the Newark Agreement negotiated when the hospital was created, their insensitivity to the opinions of residents, their attempt to reduce the number of pediatric beds without consulting myself or the Governor, and the failing grade they received on their level of care from the Leapfrog Group.
“The time has come for the State of New Jersey and the Newark community to collaborate in setting a new direction for University Hospital.
“The hospital needs to become more responsive to the people it serves and sensitive to their needs. This requires more community input with new leadership, including a new board with adequate representation of Newark residents and a new President/CEO with a history of sensitivity to community.
“State and federal investment is needed to enable University Hospital to become the first-class teaching hospital that it was intended to be, including an overhauled emergency room, a world-class trauma center, and more outpatient clinics to meet the underserved medical needs of the people of Newark.
“In 1968, the state and federal governments negotiated a detailed pact with the people of Newark to create a top-notch medical facility with community involvement and oversight in perpetuity. On the 50th anniversary of the Newark Agreement, it’s time to keep the promise.”
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