Published Tuesday, 24 January 2012
The bug, which causes intense breathing problems, has been linked to the deaths of three babies this month, while one infant is still being treated.
Health experts say the baby currently receiving treatment is the seventh confirmed case relating to the outbreak at the neonatal Jubilee Maternity unit.
A further six babies in Belfast, two in Londonderry and two in Craigavon also have the bug on their skin, but are not infected. The cases at the three separate hospitals are not believed to be linked.
On Tuesday Health Minister Edwin Poots said authorities are in the process of removing and replacing all taps and pipe work in the unit.
There is no evidence of the infection in the hospital's water system.
"Specialist advice has been received from experts in England and action is based on current best available evidence. This work should be completed within the next couple of weeks," Mr Poots said.
Taps with ultraviolent lighting are to be installed which can kill bacteria at its source and the unit will only be re-opened once all remedial work is completed and tests show that it is safe.
There is no evidence of pseudomonas in the water system. This indicates that it is likely to be a localised problem.
Health Minister Edwin Poots
Mr Poots said arrangements have been put in place for expectant mothers who require a neonatal cot to receive care in other Northern Ireland facilities, or in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
He added that the delivery ward and all other services are operating as usual.
But the chair of the Assembly's Health Committee, Michelle Gildernew, has said further investigation is required to ensure sufficient action was taken after the death of a baby at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry in December.
"A baby died before Christmas in Altnagelvin - the source was identified as the taps. Three babies have since died at the Royal, and the source again was the taps," the Sinn Féin MLA said.
"Why were the taps not changed after the first baby died in Altnagelvin?"
A spokesperson for the Belfast Trust said it had adhered to guidance.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride said: "The taps and the affected unit in Altnagelvin were replaced."
Asked if the Altnagelvin case should have sparked the changing of taps in Belfast, he added: "But that doesn't necessarily follow that this was the same source of the problem in Belfast.
"If you look at outbreaks that occurred in other parts of the United Kingdom and across Europe and wider, there have been a variety of sources that have been identified ... There was a wide range of potential environmental sources and a wide range of potential for human transmission.
"So, at any point in time when you are managing an outbreak, you just do not know."
Ms Gildernew said she also wants to know if all hospitals facing similar risks would be dealt with to reassure the public.
Dr McBride said officials would seek to learn lessons from the tragedy and pledged that searching questions would be asked to determine exactly what happened and to avoid it happening again.