Seattle Times: Children's closes all operating rooms because of mold problem that killed one patient and infected five others

Photo courtesy Seattle Children's Hospital

The Seattle Times reports that Children's Hospital has closed all its main operating rooms because of a persistent mold problem. One patient died last year and five others have been infected.

The revelation shows the problem at the prestigious hospital was more extensive than officials there had previously acknowledged publicly. 

The hospital disclosed the infections and death to The Seattle Times in response to follow-up questions regarding the closures of four operating rooms on its main Seattle campus May 18 because of Aspergillus mold and of the remaining 10 operating rooms May 24. 

The hospital says operating rooms have been infested by mold — off and on — for about a year likely because of deficiencies in the operating rooms’ air handling and purification systems.

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