MORE than 2,000 people will receive letters in the coming weeks from University Hospital Limerick (UHL) to tell them that they shared a ward or clinical area before with a patient who subsequently had a positive result for CPE superbug.
According to the hospital, these patients are designated as CPE contacts
There is about a one in 20 chance that contacts will become carriers of CPE and a one in 400 chance that they might get a serious CPE infection.
There are antibiotics that can treat CPE and a dedicated helpline is being provided to all Contacts should they have any questions. Both the GPs and the consultants of each patient contact will also receive letters to ensure they are also informed about this contact.
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