Officials with the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department reported on the investigation of a hepatitis C exposure at MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup.
Image/CDC
On April 30, MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup announced a potential hepatitis C exposure. It involves 2,761 patients who visited that Emergency Department between Aug. 4, 2017 and March 23, 2018. The hospital is notifying those patients. They are also arranging free testing and, if needed, free treatment.
So far from the hospital investigation, 1,065 people have been tested. Here’s what the testing for hepatitis C shows so far:
- Two confirmed cases: Positive for hepatitis C and confirmed with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention laboratory testing.
- Seven probable cases: Positive for hepatitis C and under investigation awaiting CDC testing.
- Twelve cases under investigation: Positive cases still under investigation.
- The majority of the people tested from this outbreak were negative for hepatitis C—1,028.
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In addition, testing also uncovered 16 positive hepatitis C test results not related with the hospital outbreak.
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Pierce County has 18 acute hepatitis C cases so far this year. This figure includes the confirmed and probable hepatitis C cases from the hospital outbreak.
