THREE babies remain in hospital in Glasgow because of a bug which killed a newborn baby.
The premature baby died at the weekend in the Neonatal Unit linked to the Royal Hospital for Children after contracting bacterial infection, Serratia marcescens.
Earlier this week NHS Great Glasgow and Clyde said a further five babies were being treated in hospital for the bug.
Another seven babies, who are no longer in the hospital, were also confirmed as having Serratia marcescens colonisation.
In a update, the health boards said three babies remain in hospital but that they are "not giving cause for concern". No new cases have been confirmed.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Public Health Protection Unit and Infection Control Team continue to investigate following an increased incidence of Serratia marcescens in the unit.
Alan Mathers, Chief of Medicine for Women and Children's Services, said: "None of the three babies remaining in the unit who are colonised are giving cause for concern as a result of the colonisation.
"Serratia marcescens can be naturally occurring in the gut and its presence on or in the body (colonisation) is not harmful in healthy people.
"However given the vulnerability of premature babies, Serratia marcescens infections, where the colonised bacteria gets into the bloodstream, can occur.
“Since the increase in incidence of Serratia marcescens colonisation cases was indentified as part of our routine surveillance we have been closely monitoring the situation in line with national guidance.
“Given that there are no other cases of infection and that all the appropriate infection control procedures are in place the unit will continue to admit new patients as normal.”
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