Patients given all-clear over flesh-eating bug

Hospital patients most at risk from an outbreak of a flesh-eating bug that killed three people have been cleared.

A trio of patients at Christchurch's Princess Margaret Hospital have died in the last two weeks after being infected by a virulent strain of streptococcal bacteria, which develops into the painful and fatal flesh-eating illness necrotising fasciitis.

The outbreak prompted the closure of the ward that housed the victims and a widespread programme of tests and antibiotics for patients and hospital staff to prevent any further spread of the bug.

Yesterday health authorities announced there had been no new cases of the infection, and the most vulnerable patients were safe.

"We have been most concerned about patients with open wounds but thankfully none of the tests from these patients have come back positive for streptococcus A," said Canterbury District Health Board spokesman Jeff Kirwan.

"Several other people have, however, tested positively for possible streptococcal A, as we would expect in any population. These people have been treated with preventative medication."

Streptococcal bacteria is present is 20 per cent of the population and leads to common illnesses such as tonsillitis, but it is rare for it to develop into the flesh-eating bug.

"In this situation, identifying a single carrier is not our goal. Containing the infection and stopping its spread is most important and this is being done with antibiotics."

Aside from screening and treating hospital staff and patients, authorities had offered screening and treatment to the families of the patients who died. Families of 19 other patients in the affected ward had also been alerted.

The general practitioners, and in some cases rest homes, of all patients discharged from the ward since September 26 were also being contacted. September 26 is when the first of the three patients who died was admitted.

CDHB spokesman Vince Barry said infection controls were still in place on the ward.

"We are also staying in touch with the families of the patients who have died and providing any support that they might need from us."