Cleaning Robots Could Curb Spread Of 'Superbug Fungus'

Chambersburg Hospital in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, believes that the use of cleaning robots can curb the spread of Candida auris, should an infected patient come in for treatment. According to an article on the Herald Media website, the hospital has incorporated UV robots as the final step of the cleaning process since 2017.

After the environmental services staff has thoroughly cleaned a patient room, the UV equipment is sent in. The UV light has been proven to kill germs that cause infections such as MRSA and C. difficile.

“By using the UV-C rays from the robots, the environmental services staff at the hospital can take that extra step by zapping away any additional organisms,” a hospital official said.

Chambersburg isn't the only hospital benefiting from this technology. Rush Foundation Hospital added UV machines to their cleaning arsenal in both Mississippi and Alabama. According to earlier reports, the hospitals have experienced a 59 percent reduction in C. diff infection rates and a 100 percent reduction in MRSA since implementing the robots.

Ochsner Health System, a health care provider based in southeast Louisiana, has a fleet of machines tackling pathogens. In the first 90 days, reports indicated that the hospital experienced a 49 percent reduction in C. diff and 49 percent reduction in overall infection rates.