After months of struggling to get bacterial infections in the maternity ward under control, Charlottetown's Queen Elizabeth Hospital has lifted some restrictions for visitors.

There are still some cases of MRSA and VRE popping up at the hospital, says Rick Adams. (CBC)

For the last four months the hospital's maternity ward has been enforcing tight rules for visitors in an effort to control outbreaks of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant enterococci. The first infections with what are known as MRSA and VRE were detected last spring.

The restrictions allowed visits to newborns by only one immediate family member — parents or grandparents — at a time, and they were required to put on a gown, mask and gloves every time they walked into a patient's room. Children under 12 were not allowed, and older children only under supervision.

While the gloves and gowns rules have been lifted, restrictions on who can visit remain. That's a concern for Natasha Deveaux, who is expected to make her second delivery at Queen Elizabeth Hospital soon.

"Limiting these visitors, is it actually helping anything at all?" said Deveaux.

Some of these restrictions may be lifted soon. (CBC)

"If it is, then great. But if it's not, then it's kind of a big event — especially for first-time parents — to have all of these people who are not allowed to be coming in.

"So if it's not actually the problem, does it need to be continued?"

Queen Elizabeth executive director Rick Adams says he hopes the last restrictions will be lifted soon. During the peak of the outbreak, 11 mothers and newborns tested positive for the bacteria. The outbreak in the maternity ward was declared over in January, but the problem hasn't vanished yet.

"Since that time, in various units across the hospital we've had one or two MRSA or VRE [cases], and they come and go," said Adams.

The hospital is planning a new infection-control policy that will come into effect March 1. That policy may get rid of all visitor restrictions, said Adams.