Skip to content

Sewage leak closes sterilizing room at Victoria General Hospital

Royal Jubilee equipment sharing means no VGH surgeries cancelled
13980011_web1_12802083_web1_170623-GNG-M-VGH
Victoria General Hospital. (Google Maps)

The room where surgical equipment is cleaned at Victoria General Hospital remains closed after a sewage leak on Oct.15.

Hospital staff noticed sewage from an upstairs bathroom leaking into their reprocessing room near 10:30 a.m. on Monday.

“Today we did some swabbing for sampling because we have to confirm that everything is as it should be before we resume cleaning,” Meribeth Burton, a spokesperson for Island Health, said on Oct. 16, adding the ceiling tiles were also repaired.

READ MORE: Victoria General Hospital reopens operating rooms ahead of schedule after flood damage

After surgery, the tools used have to be sterilized before they can be used again. Since Oct. 15, the Royal Jubilee Hospital has been sharing their sterilized supplies with VGH so no surgeries at VGH have had to be postponed or cancelled.

The plumbing problem was repaired in the bathroom by 2 p.m. on Oct. 15. Burton said the cause of the leak was an “ageing issue” with the 36-year-old building, but the hospital is not concerned with a similar leak happening again.

READ MORE: Growing numbers of Vancouver Islanders get flu shots


@KeiliBartlett
keili.bartlett@blackpress.ca

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter