One child dead and 14 with blood poisoning from contaminated drip

All neonatal intensive care units in the country have been informed and a recall has been issued for any remaining batches of the liquid feed.

An incident at the manufacturing plant is believed to have been the supply of the contamination and inspectors will go to the plant run by ITH Pharma Ltd.

Additional information of the incident have not been launched.

The infants were all infected with a bacterium known as Bacillus cereus which happens naturally in the soil and vegetation.

Professor Mike Catchpole, Public Well being England Incident director, explained: “This is a very unfortunate incident and PHE have been operating closely with the MHRA to investigate how these babies could have grow to be infected.

“Offered that the bacteria is extensively spread in the surroundings we are continuing to investigate any other potential sources of infection.

“However all our investigations to date indicate that the very likely supply of the infection has been identified. We have acted swiftly to investigate this problem alongside the MHRA and we have taken action to make sure that the impacted batches and any remaining stock of this medicine is not becoming utilised in hospitals.”

Bacillus cereus is a bacteria identified widely in the environment in dust, soil and vegetation. Most surfaces would be probably to check optimistic for the presence of the bacteria. Bacillus cereus generates really hardy spores and in the correct situations these will expand. The spores can generate a toxin which triggers sickness.

Adam Burgess, the MHRA’s manager of the Defective Medicines Reporting Centre, mentioned: “Patient safety is our best priority and we are working alongside PHE to set up what has took place.

“We have sent inspectors to the manufacturer’s facility to carry out a thorough and rigorous inspection and we have ensured that the possibly impacted medicine is recalled.”

Hospitals with situations

· Chelsea and Westminster NHS Believe in (four circumstances)

· Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Basis T rust (3 situations)

· The Whittington Hospital (one situation)

· Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (three instances)

· CUH Addenbrookes (Cambridge University Hospitals) (two circumstances)

– Luton and Dunstable University Hospital (2 instances)

One child dead and 14 with blood poisoning from contaminated drip