Another baby dies of sepsis at Ospital ng Makati

MANILA, Philippines - Another newborn baby died due to neo-natal sepsis or infection in the blood or tissue at the Ospital ng Makati, QTV's Balitanghali reported Monday. GMA News' Ruth Cabal reported that the Department of Health confirmed the death of the baby at 4:15 a.m. Monday. The report quoted Dr Eric Tayag, director ng DOH National Epidemiology Center, as saying the death was the seventh incident this month and 32nd since the month of May. Tayag also said they are now mulling to declare an outbreak due to the high number of incidents in the hospital. The report said DOH is now studying the cause of the sudden rise in the number of sepsis cases. Tayag said neo-natal sepsis has a 60 to 70 percent fatality rate, or that six to seven out of 10 babies who have sepsis die. The report said the DOH is now getting blood samples from the babies who died from the infection and their respective mothers to determine the cause of the disease. The report said the disease could have come from mothers who failed to have pre-natal check up or if she had delivered a premature baby. The disease could also be acquired from the hospital if the institution uses unsanitized medical tools and equipment. At present, the DOH ordered the Ospital ng Makati to limit the number of pregnant women it admits and accept only emergency cases or if the mother could no longer be transferred to other hospitals. - GMANews.TV