SINGAPORE: The National University Hospital (NUH) will be calling in 178 children for tests after a paediatric nurse was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).
In a statement to the media, NUH on Friday (Dec 4) said the recall was issued on Dec 1, after the nurse was diagnosed with the disease on Nov 27. The nurse, who works in Ward 47, had been off duty since Nov 24 before her diagnosis, said NUH's Head of Paediatrics, Associate Professor Daniel Goh.
"Her co-workers who are working in the ward have been screened and none of them have symptoms of the infection," Assoc Prof Goh said, adding that the nurse was started on medication and has been referred to the Tuberculosis Control Unit at Tan Tock Seng Hospital for follow-up treatment.
According to NUH, the nurse had been down with a cough in July. She had sought treatment at a GP clinic but was not diagnosed with TB. However, the cough persisted and the nurse sought treatment on Nov 25, when she was given a CT scan which revealed a possible TB patch on her lung.
The nurse then informed the hospital on the same day and was tested for TB. The results were confirmed on Nov 27.
"TB is in the general community and is usually spread over prolonged periods in close contact with an infected person. In most healthy people, the immune system is able to fight the bacteria that cause TB," said Assoc Prof Goh.
NUH CEO Joe Sim added that the hospital "fully understands" the anxiety of the parents, and is "taking this matter seriously".
"As such, the hospital is taking the proactive and precautionary measure to recall patients who may be at risk to be screened," said Mr Sim.
For screening priority, the hospital said it will be based on the patients' age and immunity level. As for whether the children's families need to be screened, NUH said this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the children's test results.
NUH also confirmed that should a child be infected with TB, the cost of consultation, screening and treatment will be paid for by the hospital.
NURSE ON MEDICAL LEAVE
NUH said the nurse is on medical leave for two weeks and is expected to return to work after the TB Control Unit certifies her to be fit for work.
Responding to media queries on Friday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said the TB Control Unit is currently assisting NUH "in the contact investigation for this case".
MOH said it was informed of this case on Nov 27 and under the Infectious Diseases Act, doctors are required to notify cases of TB to MOH. The ministry added that it is monitoring the situation and currently has no plans to set up an investigation committee.
The hospital said that should an employee be diagnosed with active pulmonary TB disease, it will do contact tracing of staff and patients who may have been exposed as a precautionary measure. While the nurse's risk of transmission was assessed to be low in this case, NUH said it will still take this precaution.
It added that transmission of TB "requires close and prolonged contact" and "most people who are exposed casually will not be infected".
"TB is a curable disease. Early detection and full compliance to treatment remain the key to a successful TB control programme. Patients generally become non-infectious after the first two weeks of treatment and there is thus no risk to the community when they return to work/school after this period," said MOH.
An infectious diseases specialist at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital Channel NewsAsia spoke to also agreed that the risk of contracting tuberculosis is "extremely low".
Among the 178 patients, 131 of them are children under the age of two years old and who were cared for by the nurse. It also includes another 34 children who had received a transplanted organ and are on immunosuppression drugs, which puts them at a higher risk of contracting TB than healthy children.
In a statement to the media, NUH on Friday (Dec 4) said the recall was issued on Dec 1, after the nurse was diagnosed with the disease on Nov 27. The nurse, who works in Ward 47, had been off duty since Nov 24 before her diagnosis, said NUH's Head of Paediatrics, Associate Professor Daniel Goh.
"Her co-workers who are working in the ward have been screened and none of them have symptoms of the infection," Assoc Prof Goh said, adding that the nurse was started on medication and has been referred to the Tuberculosis Control Unit at Tan Tock Seng Hospital for follow-up treatment.
According to NUH, the nurse had been down with a cough in July. She had sought treatment at a GP clinic but was not diagnosed with TB. However, the cough persisted and the nurse sought treatment on Nov 25, when she was given a CT scan which revealed a possible TB patch on her lung.
The nurse then informed the hospital on the same day and was tested for TB. The results were confirmed on Nov 27.
"TB is in the general community and is usually spread over prolonged periods in close contact with an infected person. In most healthy people, the immune system is able to fight the bacteria that cause TB," said Assoc Prof Goh.
NUH CEO Joe Sim added that the hospital "fully understands" the anxiety of the parents, and is "taking this matter seriously".
"As such, the hospital is taking the proactive and precautionary measure to recall patients who may be at risk to be screened," said Mr Sim.
For screening priority, the hospital said it will be based on the patients' age and immunity level. As for whether the children's families need to be screened, NUH said this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, depending on the children's test results.
NUH also confirmed that should a child be infected with TB, the cost of consultation, screening and treatment will be paid for by the hospital.
NURSE ON MEDICAL LEAVE
NUH said the nurse is on medical leave for two weeks and is expected to return to work after the TB Control Unit certifies her to be fit for work.
Responding to media queries on Friday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said the TB Control Unit is currently assisting NUH "in the contact investigation for this case".
MOH said it was informed of this case on Nov 27 and under the Infectious Diseases Act, doctors are required to notify cases of TB to MOH. The ministry added that it is monitoring the situation and currently has no plans to set up an investigation committee.
The hospital said that should an employee be diagnosed with active pulmonary TB disease, it will do contact tracing of staff and patients who may have been exposed as a precautionary measure. While the nurse's risk of transmission was assessed to be low in this case, NUH said it will still take this precaution.
It added that transmission of TB "requires close and prolonged contact" and "most people who are exposed casually will not be infected".
"TB is a curable disease. Early detection and full compliance to treatment remain the key to a successful TB control programme. Patients generally become non-infectious after the first two weeks of treatment and there is thus no risk to the community when they return to work/school after this period," said MOH.
An infectious diseases specialist at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital Channel NewsAsia spoke to also agreed that the risk of contracting tuberculosis is "extremely low".
Among the 178 patients, 131 of them are children under the age of two years old and who were cared for by the nurse. It also includes another 34 children who had received a transplanted organ and are on immunosuppression drugs, which puts them at a higher risk of contracting TB than healthy children.
:p
I thought all Sinkie babies were vaccinated at birth. I certainly was and I have scar to prove it.
think need numbers to convince them.
Or is it a case of infected children who were from overseas, spreading the disease in Spore
