Seattle Children's Hospital has shut down operating rooms and other areas for the second time this year due to mold problems.
Seattle Children's Hospital released a statement saying it had to close three of its operating rooms and two procedural areas after routine air tests revealed contamination by Aspergillus, a common mold.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people breathe in Aspergillus without getting sick but it poses a higher risk for people with weakened immune systems or lung disease. It may cause allergic reactions, lung infections and other organ infections.
In May, the hospital also closed down several operating rooms after a similar mold contamination resulted in the death of one patient and sickness to five others in prior months. They only reopened in July.
Regarding the recent incident, the hospital stated: "The rooms in which Aspergillus was detected have been closed and out of an abundance of caution, we are only performing emergent surgeries in the operating rooms that have advanced in-room filtration. Some surgical cases may be postponed or diverted to other local hospitals."
The said rooms will remain closed as the hospital continues to investigate the air-handling system. "The precise timing and duration of the operating room closures is still being determined," the hospital said.
Washington state Department of Health (DOH) spokeswoman Julie Graham said: "We're learning more details about the situation ... and will provide information on our actions as we move forward."
Similarly, a 2017 report revealed that at two University of Pittsburgh Medical Center hospitals, mold played a part in five deaths between 2014 and 2016. They were exposed to Mucor and Rhizopus mold.
The report indicated that the casualties from the infection were transplant patients and that both the hospital and the facility that handled the hospital's linens tested positive for mold.
