Timmins, ON – October 30, 2017 - Timmins and District Hospital is advising the public that we have identified a number of patients on Medical B unit that are carrying Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus (VRE).

Enterococcus is a bacteria that lives in most people’s bowels. Vancomycin resistant enterococcus is the same bacteria, but it is a strain that has developed resistance to many commonly used antibiotics, specifically an antibiotic called vancomycin. When a person has an infection with VRE it can be difficult to treat because the usual antibiotics cannot get rid of it.

Given the number of cases on this specific unit, we are asking for the public’s assistance with the following:

All visitors to all units will be required to wash their hands upon entering and leaving the Hospital and before and after visiting patients at the Hospital
If visiting a patient on additional precautions, please follow the sign posted on the door.
All individuals with cold, flu, or gastro-like symptoms (cough, fever, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) are not to visit any patients in the Hospital

These measures are taken to minimize the risk of transmission from/to patients and we ask the public for their cooperation in this matter.

The Timmins and District Hospital (TADH) is a level C, fully accredited community, referral and teaching hospital serving the residents of the City of Timmins and Cochrane District as well as the adjoining areas of the Temiskaming, Sudbury and Algoma districts. The hospital offers a full range of medical, surgical, critical care, maternity, newborn, pediatric, mental health and diagnostic imaging services.

-30-

For more information contact:
Jaye Meunier
Timmins and District Hospital
705-267-6331
jameunier@tadh.com