Health officials are implementing extra safety precautions at Victoria General Hospital after an outbreak of streptococcus was declared in the maternity unit.
The Vancouver Island Health Authority announced the outbreak on Saturday after two cases of invasive Group A streptococcal infection were discovered.
Strep A infections generally result in mild illness, but in rare cases can cause infections of the blood, muscles or lungs and tissue damage.
The most common infection is strep throat, which causes high fever, headache, a swollen red throat and tonsils, swollen lymph nodes in the neck and abdominal pain in children.
The health authority says there has been "widespread" strep A illness in the community recently and an infected person may have brought it into Victoria General.
So far, no cross-infection has been detected but officials are taking precautions to prevent any spread.
"We need to take every possible measure to ensure that it is contained and that vulnerable new moms and babies are protected," VIHA said in a release.
Infection control measures implemented at the hospital include:
- Enhanced hand hygiene practices
- Increased cleaning and housekeeping
- A limit of two healthy visitors per mother during delivery
- Barring children under 16 from the unit
Visitors who are sick, especially those experiencing a sore throat, cough, fever or flu symptoms, are prohibited from visiting the unit until they are well.
There have been no cases of sreptococcus B and staff say they are confident they can still safely deliver babies.
