According to WTAE, the mold was discovered in a wall in the medical intensive care unit, which workers opened while cleaning up after a clogged drain caused flooding in the ICU. Some patients were removed from the affected area.
Wendy Zellner, a UPMC spokeswoman, told WTAE that the mold is “common for old buildings” and that the “area is and has been safe for staff and patients at all times, and we have made all appropriate reports to state regulators.”
Earlier this year, news broke that four UPMC transplant patients contracted fungal infections, possibly tied to mold found in the hospital. Three of those patients have died.
UPMC also temporarily closed its organ transplant program for about a week because of the mold outbreak.
More articles on patient safety:
The Leapfrog Group names 2015 Top Hospitals: 5 things to know
Pathogens live in most keyboards in medical facilities
Rigid containers vs. wrapped instrument trays: Which offers better protection from bacteria?
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