Supberbug Infections in California Hospitals Go Unrecorded

Superbugs in hospitals are leading to the death of thousands of Californians, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

The cause of death from these infections is not being recorded in death certificates, leading some scientists to declare an epidemic of hospital-acquired infections, the newspaper reported. 

Medical billing records are more accurate in showing what led to a death, according to the Times. 

“Even if one person dies from a hospital-acquired infection, it’s one too many,” said Dr. Chelsea Richards of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The CDC estimates that 75,000 people die of hospital-acquired infections each year. The number of Californians who die could be between 7,000 to 9,000 people, the newspaper reported. 

California does not track deaths from infections acquired in a hospital or report when patients are sickened by rare superbugs, the Times reported. 

Experts believe hospitals can fortify themselves against the infections by implementing better control procedures, such as making sure staff wash their hands. 

Continue reading at LA Times.com.