Warning message

Please note that this page is from our archives. There may be more up-to-date content about this topic on our website. Use our search engine to find out.

Toronto Despite reports last week that the strain of C. difficile that killed 108 patients in Montreal is now infecting patients in Toronto, Ontario has not ordered mandatory reporting of such diseases by health facilities, says Michael Hurley, President, Ontario Council of Hospital Unions/CUPE.

CUPE warned last summer that, unless the province directed funding to bolster cleaning at hospitals and long-term care facilities, this strain of C. difficile would surface in Ontario facilities. CUPE also called on the province to initiate mandatory reporting of all infectious disease outbreaks for Ontario hospitals. Neither has happened.

Regrettably, the governments laissez-faire attitude leaves the door open for C. difficile to gain a strong foothold. Its time to enact full reporting otherwise, we will see a surge in hospital death rates in Ontario from this organism.

If the government wont enact mandatory reporting, CUPE will set up a province-wide hotline for family members and staff to report outbreaks of infectious superbugs, says Hurley. CUPE set up a successful patient-care hotline in the 1990s.

  • WHO:
    Michael Hurley, President Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU)

  • WHAT:
    Media conference controlling hospital acquired infection

  • WHERE:
    Media Studio, Queens Park

  • WHEN:
    Thursday, March 31, 2005 at 12:00 Noon

 -30-

For more information, please contact:
Michael Hurley, President, OCHU (416) 884-0770
Stella Yeadon, CUPE Communications (416) 578-8774