Klebsiella did not cause baby's death: department

The KwaZulu-Natal health department has blamed heart failure and other infections for the death of a sixth baby at Umlazi's Prince Mshiyeni Hospital. The baby was one of two who were suspected of having contracted Klebsiella, along with five other babies more than two weeks ago.

The department's spokesperson, Leon Mbangwa, says the infant was treated for Klebsiella, but was cleared before she died.

"The two babies were tested for the Klebsiella pneumonia and given medical treatment. Subsequent blood cultures from the babies were negative indicating that the infection was cleared,” said Mbangwa.

The baby was born 12 weeks too soon to a teenage mother and weighed only 1.1kg at birth.