The Ministry of Health in Jamaica has revealed that between September and October this year, seven newborns died at two public hospitals from the Klebsiella infection.
Six of the neonates were born at Cornwall Regional Hospital in St. James and the seventh at Spanish Town Hospital in St. Catherine.
The information was contained in responses to questions tabled by Member of Parliament for St. Ann North Western, Dr. Dayton Campbell.
Klebsiella is the second most frequently isolated organism in newborns. It ranks with Sepsis, an infection of the blood.
Health Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton said three of the cases at Cornwall Regional were diagnosed within 48 hours of admission suggesting that these cases were not health care associated infections.
At Spanish Town Hospital, a cluster of three cases of Klebsiella was identified within the first 48 hours of admission also suggesting that the cases were not health care associated infections.
Tufton said the infections would not be considered an outbreak and based on assessment, the deaths were within what is usually observed during the periods.
