Health authorities in St Vincent and the Grenadines are monitoring four patients at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital after they were found to have a drug-resistant bacterium.

The Ministry of Health, Wellness, Environmental Health and Energy said the patients, who have wounds, tested positive for Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) with the NDM resistance mechanism.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a type of bacteria that can cause infections, particularly in people who are seriously ill or hospitalised.

The CRAB strain is resistant to carbapenems, a class of antibiotics commonly used to treat serious infections.

The NDM resistance mechanism means the bacteria produce an enzyme that can break down certain antibiotics, including carbapenems.

The ministry stressed that while some antibiotics may no longer work effectively against the bacteria, the presence of drug resistance does not mean an infection cannot be treated.

It also said the detection of the four cases does not mean the general public faces an immediate increased risk.

Instead, the cases have prompted health officials to step up measures aimed at detecting, containing and preventing further spread within the hospital.

Measures currently being implemented include enhanced infection prevention and control procedures, continued laboratory and environmental testing, antimicrobial resistance surveillance and contact tracing.

Officials are also reviewing possible links between the cases, increasing environmental and equipment cleaning and sanitation, monitoring for additional cases and restricting elective surgeries.

The ministry said antimicrobial resistance remains a growing global public health concern, as bacteria and other microorganisms can develop the ability to survive medicines that previously worked against them.

It urged the public to use antibiotics and other antimicrobials responsibly and only as prescribed by a healthcare professional.

The ministry said the detection of the cases also highlights the importance of its surveillance systems, which are designed to identify unusual patterns early and allow health officials to investigate and respond.