There are four new cases of a potentially fatal, highly contagious bacterium called C. difficile in Cape Breton.
The Cape Breton District Health Authority says four new cases have been diagnosed since the last update on May 2.
C. difficile has been identified as a contributing factor by the health authority in the deaths of at least five patients with underlying medical issues.
Twenty people are now confirmed to have a hospital-acquired case of the antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
C. difficile causes a multitude of problems with respect to infections of the intestine and can lead to episodes of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
The fact that it is resistant to antibiotics makes it very difficult to treat successfully. One in five patients who undergo a regime of antibiotics and appear to recover relapse just a few days after treatment.
Elderly patients who are already battling serious illnesses are especially vulnerable to the bacteria
The District is lifting general visitor restrictions at Harbour View and Glace Bay hospitals because these sites have not had any new hospital-acquired cases in a seven-day period.
Visitor restrictions will remain in place, however, for all units at the Cape Breton Regional and New Waterford Consolidated hospitals until further notice.
