CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Following 10 months of investigation that began
in September 2014, the DHHR’s Bureau for Public Health is now informing
around 2300 patients that they may have been exposed to HIV, Hepatitis
B, and Hepatitis C if they were patients at a private heart health
clinic in Beckley.
But Dr. Rahul Gupta, Commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health, offered reassurance at a press conference Thursday afternoon in Charleston.
“There was no smoking gun at the time we were able to find,” he said. “However, we found a certain number of things that could be improved to halt if that transmission were occurring.”
The Bureau of Public Health recommended the clinic begin using single patient dose vials and single use medications, switch to needle-less injection systems, and make sure physicians and clinic staff underwent numerous training in infection control and safety injection practices.
The DHHR in Charleston issued a letter stating that several cases of viral hepatitis appeared to be associated with a cardiac stress test performed at the Raleigh Heart Clinic in Beckley. Eight patients had been identified who had injectable medications administered during their stress tests.
The department recommended the tests to the patients in the letter as a precaution.
“We’re doing our due diligence and responsibility and obligation of this office to ensure that we notify as many people that they are aware to be able to get tested we have made that available to them,” Dr. Gupta said.
It is already recommended by the CDC that anyone born between 1945-1965 is tested for Hepatitis C. 75 percent of people diagnosed with Hepatitis C were born in that time period.
“Some follow that and others don’t,” he said. “This is another opportunity to ensure that people are getting screened because, we know for Hepatitis C especially, that if you catch it early it’s an expensive treatment but it’s treatable. And you can save a lot of long term cost.”
As part of the investigation, employees and staff at the clinic were also tested to determine whether or not they were the source of the outbreak.
“That’s part of the procedure, by the way,” Dr. Gupta said. “We don’t limit ourselves in the testing to just the patients. We also encourage and ask the physician, that him or herself, the staff, everybody–we look at their training, their requirements, what procedures their doing and if they’ve been trained to do that–but also we get them tested as well to make sure they are not the source.”
He added that anyone who received this letter, but did not have health insurance, could contact a local health department to administer the test as a precaution.
“We want people to get tested,” he said. “Worry enough to get tested because it’s the right thing to do, but not worry enough to get panicked. And if you’re in between somewhere there, call us. That’s why that 800 number is there, and we’ll help you walk through the process.”
According to Dr. Gupta, 95 percent of those affected live in southern West Virginia.
But Dr. Rahul Gupta, Commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health, offered reassurance at a press conference Thursday afternoon in Charleston.
“There was no smoking gun at the time we were able to find,” he said. “However, we found a certain number of things that could be improved to halt if that transmission were occurring.”
The Bureau of Public Health recommended the clinic begin using single patient dose vials and single use medications, switch to needle-less injection systems, and make sure physicians and clinic staff underwent numerous training in infection control and safety injection practices.
The DHHR in Charleston issued a letter stating that several cases of viral hepatitis appeared to be associated with a cardiac stress test performed at the Raleigh Heart Clinic in Beckley. Eight patients had been identified who had injectable medications administered during their stress tests.
The department recommended the tests to the patients in the letter as a precaution.
“We’re doing our due diligence and responsibility and obligation of this office to ensure that we notify as many people that they are aware to be able to get tested we have made that available to them,” Dr. Gupta said.
It is already recommended by the CDC that anyone born between 1945-1965 is tested for Hepatitis C. 75 percent of people diagnosed with Hepatitis C were born in that time period.
“Some follow that and others don’t,” he said. “This is another opportunity to ensure that people are getting screened because, we know for Hepatitis C especially, that if you catch it early it’s an expensive treatment but it’s treatable. And you can save a lot of long term cost.”
As part of the investigation, employees and staff at the clinic were also tested to determine whether or not they were the source of the outbreak.
“That’s part of the procedure, by the way,” Dr. Gupta said. “We don’t limit ourselves in the testing to just the patients. We also encourage and ask the physician, that him or herself, the staff, everybody–we look at their training, their requirements, what procedures their doing and if they’ve been trained to do that–but also we get them tested as well to make sure they are not the source.”
He added that anyone who received this letter, but did not have health insurance, could contact a local health department to administer the test as a precaution.
“We want people to get tested,” he said. “Worry enough to get tested because it’s the right thing to do, but not worry enough to get panicked. And if you’re in between somewhere there, call us. That’s why that 800 number is there, and we’ll help you walk through the process.”
According to Dr. Gupta, 95 percent of those affected live in southern West Virginia.
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