Almost 450 Patients at Massachusetts Hospital Were Possibly Exposed to Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV
Source: Salem Hospital/Facebook
In a concerning revelation, Salem Hospital announced that approximately 450 patients who underwent endoscopy procedures at their facility might have been incidentally exposed to serious infectious diseases, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV.
The potential exposure at the hospital, which lies about 20 miles from Boston, was said to have occurred over two years, ABC News reported.
Endoscopy involves inserting a tube-like instrument into the body for internal examination. Procedures such as bronchoscopies, colonoscopies, and laparoscopies fall under this category.
The hospital identified the issue during the administration of IV medications, stating that they were administered “in a manner not consistent with our best practice.”
The incidents were first acknowledged earlier this year,
