Baby seventh to die from mold-related infection at Seattle hospital: report
FILE. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)
An almost 6-month-old girl reportedly died Wednesday morning after months of fighting a mold-related infection she contracted from the Seattle Children’s hospital, a report said.
“Late last night, Beth told us she was ready,” her parents, Katie and Micah Hutt, wrote on Facebook. “I cannot begin to express the gratitude we have for the team that worked through the night to make sure Beth's transition was as painless and smooth as possible.”
She is the seventh patient to die after contracting an infection from mold at the hospital since 2001, according to Becker's Hosptial Review.
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Beth, who her parents called a “brave, courageous, beautiful warrior,” was born at MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital with a heart condition last August. She was taken to Seattle Children's where she underwent her first surgery when she was 5 days old, the Seattle Times reported.
She had two subsequent surgeries and, at some point while she was staying at the hospital, she contracted an infection from Aspergillus mold.
Aspergillus is a mold that people breathe every day, but those with a weakened immune system are at risk of developing aspergillosis, which often affects the respiratory system and can cause wheezing, fever and a bloody cough, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The Hutts are part of a class-action suit filed against the hospital late last year for patients who contracted an infection from mold, The Times reported.
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Her parents, who documented Beth’s struggle at the hospital, said they would post again “when we've had the chance to make plans for celebrating our brave, courageous, beautiful warrior. Please understand that we likely won't be responding to messages or calls while we figure out what 'life after' looks like.”
Dr. Jeff Sperring, the head of the hospital, told the Times that the hospital thought earlier infections were isolated incidents.
“Looking back, we should have made the connection sooner,” he reportedly said at a news conference. “Simply put, we failed.”
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