FEARS OF AN outbreak of typhoid fever has prompted authorities to contact 70 patients who were in Wexford General Hospital earlier this month after one patient was confirmed to have the highly contagious disease.

The patient presented to the hospital’s emergency department on 7 August and was admitted with a gastrointestinal complaint.

It was later confirmed that the patient was carrying the infection and Wexford General Hospital contacted the 70 patients, who were in the hospital at the time, due to fears that they may have used the same toilet facilities as the patient.

The patient received treatment for the infection and has since been discharged. The risk of further contagion has been assessed as low. 

The Ireland East Hospital Group said in a statement that The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and all other Health Departments have been informed and all National Protocols have been followed.

Typhoid is an acute illness, caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi, which is spread through contaminated food and water.

The infection typically causes fever, stomach pain, headache, nausea, severe loss of appetite and constipation or diarrhea. 

It can be a very serious, and potentially fatal, disease, however antibiotics are an effective treatment. On a global scale the infection is estimated to be the cause of more than 21 million illnesses and 217,000 deaths each year.