A baby with a serious heart condition has passed away after she developed an infection linked to mould in a Seattle hospital’s operating room, according to her mother.

Elizabeth Hutt was born with a heart condition that she faced throughout her six-month-long life. The young child underwent three open-heart surgeries, and after the third procedure, doctors believe she contracted an Aspergillus mould infection in the hospital’s operating room.

Her mother, Katha Hutt, revealed in a Facebook post that her daughter passed away early Wednesday morning at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

“Elizabeth Vera Hutt gained her wings on her 175th day of life at 4:40 am. Late last night, Beth told us she was ready,” Mrs. Hutt wrote.

“I cannot begin to express the gratitude we have for the team that worked through the night to make sure Beth’s transition was as peaceful and smooth as possible. We will post when we’ve had the chance to make plans for celebrating our brave, courageous, beautiful warrior.”

The mould in the hospital’s operating rooms was first detected in November, around the same time as the child’s third surgery.

Ms Hutt created a Facebook page titled Beth’s HLHS Journey to keep people updated on her daughter’s condition throughout her surgeries. She revealed in January that her daughter was battling an infection that had left doctors searching for answers.

It was later determined that the infection was linked to the mould discovered in three of the 14 operating rooms at the hospital in November. The mould came from the hospital’s air-handling units in the operating rooms, and 14 patients have developed infections linked to the mould since 2001, the hospital revealed. Seven of those 14 children have since passed away following their infections.

“I’m always going to wonder if there were different interventions that could’ve taken place, had the Aspergillus not been there,” Ms Hutt said.

Aspergillus is a common mould typically present in the air that people breathe. It normally does not cause illness, but it can be harmful to people with weakened immune systems or those undergoing surgery.

Ms Hutt and her husband, Micah Hutt, told WBTV they knew about the hospital’s Aspergillus concerns in 2018, but they still chose the facility for their daughter because of the quality of its doctors and medical staff.

At the time, the parents believed the mould problem had been resolved.

They joined a class-action lawsuit against Seattle Children’s Hospital in January, which alleges facility managers had known about the mould since 2005 and failed to address the problem.

The hospital currently has 11 of its 14 operating rooms closed, as new HEPA filtration units are installed. The other three operating rooms received the new air units and remain open for use.

Seattle Children’s Hospital said in response to the baby’s passing: “Losing a child is incredibly devastating for everyone whose lives were touched by that child. Our deepest condolences go out to families and loved ones who have experienced a loss.”

Source: ndependent.co.uk