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After baby contracts MRSA in Henrico NICU, mother asks why more wasn't done to stop the three-year outbreak

Shawnphyl Chambers' daughter Yayonni Poag contracted MRSA at Henrico Doctors' Hospital NICU. (Courtesy WTVR)

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A mother is sharing her experience after learning her premature baby was one of dozens who contracted a dangerous infection during a years-long outbreak at Henrico Doctors' Hospital.

Shawnphyl Chambers' daughter Yayonni Poag was born at 31 weeks at Henrico Doctors' Hospital. During their stay, Chambers said her daughter contracted methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as MRSA.

Chambers said she thought her baby's infection was an isolated incident.

That changed in May when CBS 6 reported staff at Henrico Doctors' told state inspectors there had been a MRSA outbreak in the NICU for three years and the facility had not determined the cause.

Inspectors from the Virginia Department of Health also found a hospital document that said 94 NICU patients had been infected.

The length of the outbreak is unusual as the Virginia Department of Health told CBS 6 the majority of MRSA outbreaks in NICUs last less than two months.

Click here to continue reading on WTVR.com, a Henrico Citizen partner organization.