The Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System has shut down its University Drive intensive care unit for the time being after technicians discovered mold during routine maintenance of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.
After identifying mold, the technicians shut down the affected HVAC system immediately and clinical care teams moved six ICU patients to appropriate levels of care elsewhere in the medical center.
"Patient care has not been interrupted or adversely affected either during the planned maintenance work or the subsequent pause in unit operations," according to a VA Pittsburgh statement. "In addition, VA Pittsburgh clinical care teams have not diagnosed any active or recent hospital-associated illnesses due to mold."
The system vowed to continue investigating the issue and keep the ICU closed until all mold remediation is complete.
The VA Pittsburgh ICU is not the only facility in the area that has had a mold problem as of late — UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh temporarily closed its organ transplant program earlier this year because of a mold outbreak that may be tied to the deaths of four transplant patients.
UPMC Presbyterian workers discovered more mold in early December, although officials say the mold is not related to any patient infections.
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Inhaled mold spores likely caused UPMC patient fungal infections, CDC says
Investigation finds no source of mold infections at UPMC