An outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) at Osborne Park Hospital in Perth will be investigated amid union claims of mismanagement by the North Metropolitan Health Service (NMHS). 110 staff have been informed by letter that they may have been exposed to the disease “within days” of discovering that a former patient had been diagnosed with TB, and the letters encouraged staff to be tested. Of the 100 who did so, 9 tested positive. According to a spokesperson, it was a latent variety of the disease, so most would not become ill. The spokesperson rejected the Australian Nurses Federation’s claims of mismanagement concerning the outbreak and said that NMHS had followed up with patients and visitors who may have been exposed to the infected man, and the agency would also follow up with the 10 staff who were not tested.
Source
http://www.theaustralian.com.au
Date of Publication
10/11/2012
Author
Rebecca Le May
Article Type
General media
Article Category
News Briefs
Disclaimer: NPIN provides this information as a public service only. The views and information provided about the materials, funding opportunities, and organizations do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, or NPIN.
