The San Francisco Chronicle reports that California now requires hospitals to report specific kinds of staph infections to local health authorities. Cases that require reporting are those that infect otherwise healthy people, who are outside of hospitals or nursing homes, and that result in death or a stay in the intensive care unit.

This requirement is in response to the recent increase in drug-resistant staph infections that now kill about 19,000 Americans per year. Health officials hope to gain a better understanding of why the disease is on the rise, and how to deal with it.

Dr. Gilbert Chavez, State Epidemiologist of California, says, ‘We are concerned about recent reports of severe MRSA infections in previously healthy individuals,’ and adds that from the new requirement, ‘We believe we will have a better picture of the incidence of staph infections in California.’

MRSA is responsible for a marked increase in community-acquired staph infections, which have infected a large range of people, including athletes, mothers, and schoolchildren.

Cleanliness is the most imporantant factor in preventing staph infections like MRSA. Vital Oxide is an EPA-approved broad spectrum cleaner that safely kills staph bacteria.

For more about drug-resistant staph infections, see MRSA: The Super Staph Infection.