VISITING HOSPITAL

All hospital visitors are encouraged to wear a medical face mask. Expand this message for information about visiting hospital. 

Last updated:
31 October 2024

Some visitor restrictions for all Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury hospitals and health facilities remain in place, but we have relaxed others.

There is still a heightened risk to vulnerable people in hospital and we encourage all people wear a mask when visiting any of our facilities and follow other advice designed to keep patients, staff and visitors safe.

To keep everybody safe:

  • Visitors or support people are advised to not visit our facilities if they are unwell. We advise that you do not visit if you have recently tested positive for COVID-19 and haven’t completed your isolation period.
  • Patients may have more than one visitor, except in some situations such as multi-bed rooms where it can cause overcrowding.
  • Surgical/medical masks are encouraged to be worn at all sites. Masks will be provided if you don’t have one.
  • Please practice hand hygiene with provided alcohol-based hand rub/gel

Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as our staff work hard to protect and care for some of the most vulnerable in our community.

Visiting patients with COVID-19

  • People can visit patients who have COVID-19 but they must wear a surgical mask as a minimum – please use surgical masks provided.

All of our Hospitals

Visiting hours for our hospitals have returned to pre COVID-19 hours.

All visitors are encouraged to wear a medical face mask.

Parents/caregivers can be with their child in hospital and visitors are now allowed, except for the Children’s Haematology and Oncology Day stay where visitor restrictions might apply.

Patients and visitors can also read the additional COVID-19 related visiting guidelines .

Important information for open heart surgery patients

Wednesday 14 February 2018Public Health Alert6 minutes to read

THIS IS AN ARCHIVED PAGE. The advice and information contained in this page may not be current and it should only be used for historical reference purposes.

Canterbury DHB is contacting all patients who have had open heart surgery in which foreign material has been implanted (such as an artificial heart valve) at Christchurch Hospital or St Georges Hospital in the past five years.

In a small number of cases, international regulators have found that the heater-cooler devices that are used to control the patient's body temperature during these operations have been linked to infection caused by a bacteria commonly found in soil and water.

The risk of infection is very small (about 1 in 5000) but as a precautionary measure the approximately 5500 patients throughout New Zealand who have had these surgeries since 2013 are being contacted.

Patients who are part of this group will receive a letter explaining the situation and providing them with advice for the unlikely event that they become unwell. If you have had this sort of cardiac surgery at a hospital elsewhere in New Zealand, you will receive a letter from that DHB.

This is an international issue; so far one case of infection has been found in New Zealand and has been successfully treated. There is no risk to the family or friends of patients, or the general public of contracting this infection.

Patients are advised to see their GP if they have any of the following symptoms:

  • Unexplained fevers or night sweats

  • Unexplained weight loss

  • Extreme tiredness (fatigue)

  • Pain in the chest, and/or redness or pus around the site of surgery

  • Increased shortness of breath

  • Joint or muscle pain

  • Nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain

These symptoms can take months or years from the time of the operation to develop.

Heater-cooler devices used in New Zealand hospitals have been have been checked and cleaned or replaced as needed to prevent this from happening again. A rigorous system is in place to ensure future patients are not exposed to the bacteria.

Find out more:

  • Read our frequently asked questions

  • Watch senior clinicians talk about the issue

  • Talk to your GP

  • Call Healthline for advice on 0800 611 116. Healthline has interpreters available 24/7

  • You can contact us directly at communications@cdhb.health.nz

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the bacteria called?

The bacteria are called Mycobacterium chimaera and are common in our environment, including in soil and water. They very rarely cause infections in healthy people.

How can a patient become infected?

  • During some types of cardiac surgery, a machine called a heater-cooler device is used to keep a patient's body at the right temperature during the operation.

  • The bacteria have been found in some of these heater-cooler devices, and in a very small number of cases this has caused an infection in the patient having surgery.

  • Mycobacterium chimaera infection cannot be spread from person-to-person so there is no risk to a patient's family or friends or the general public.

What is the risk of becoming infected?  How many cases have there been in NZ?

  • The risk of infection from this bacterium is very small (about 1 in 5000).

  • So far one case has been found in New Zealand and has been successfully treated.

  • Your surgical team will have explained that there is always a risk of infection associated with any cardiac surgery. Infections can occur many months or even several years after surgery.

  • Although the risk is extremely low, it is important we ensure our patients and their families are well informed as a precautionary measure.

What signs of infection should I look for?

Patients who receive a letter from us are advised to see their GP if they have any of the following symptoms:

  • Unexplained fevers or night sweats

  • Unexplained weight loss

  • Extreme tiredness (fatigue)

  • Pain in the chest, and/or redness or pus around the site of surgery

  • Increased shortness of breath

  • Joint or muscle pain

  • Nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain

These symptoms can take months or years from the time of the operation to develop.

What should I do if I think I (or my child) may be infected?

  • Patients experiencing any one or more of the symptoms above please see your primary health care provider / GP as soon as possible.

  • Please keep your letter handy in case you need to see your primary health care provider / GP about this issue in the future.

  • You can also call Healthline for advice on 0800 611 116.

  • You can also email us directly at communications@cdhb.health.nz

Should I (or my child) be tested for this infection?

  • No, testing for this infection is only useful in the event that you or your child develop the symptoms listed above. There is no test available to detect this infection before symptoms develop.

  • The best way to protect yourself (or your child) is to see your GP if you have any of the symptoms outlined above.

What has been done to prevent this issue?

  • We are working hard to ensure that this issue is prevented in the future.

  • Our Heater-cooler devices have been checked and have either been cleaned or replaced as needed. A rigorous system is in place to ensure future patients are not exposed to the bacteria.

  • This is a known international issue, not restricted to New Zealand, and we are sharing information with clinicians in other countries.

If I (or my child) have an infection, how would this be treated?

  • If an infection is confirmed your (or your child's) clinical team will discuss treatment options. These may include the use of antibiotics and / or further surgery.

  • So far one case has been found in New Zealand and was successfully treated.

Am I (or my child) at risk with future surgeries?

  • No. All cardiac surgery carries the risk of infection, but we have a rigorous system in place to ensure patients are not exposed to Mycobacterium chimaera bacteria in future surgeries.

Who can I talk to for further information?

  • The best person to talk to is your GP or primary care provider

  • We working closely with Healthline and you can also call them for advice on 0800 611 116 Healthline has interpreters available 24/7.

  • You can also email us directly at communicatons@cdhb.health.nz

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Page last updated: 17 February 2022

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