Patients At N.J. Hospital May Have Been Exposed To HIV Or Hepatitis: Officials

As many as 213 patients may have been exposed to HIV or hepatitis B or C because of drug tampering, officials at one New Jersey hospital said.

Officials are investigating whether patients who received intravenous medications at the Shore Medical Center in Somers Point between June 1, 2013 and Sept. 17, 2014 contracted the diseases, NBC10 reported.

The hospital says these patients who received morphine or hydromorphone may have come into contact with an employee’s blood as the result of drug tampering, according to the report.

“We have contacted all patients who received certain intravenous medication between June 1, 2013 and Sept. 17, 2014,” according to a hospital statement published by NBC10. “We are providing free testing and support through every step and are partnering with local health department agencies during this testing period in order to be extremely cautious.”

Patch has contacted the hospital and will update this story when we hear back.

The possible exposure came to light after an internal investigation at the Shore Medical Center, as well as an investigation by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, according to The Press of Atlantic City.

Hospital officials have issued a letter to patients, saying the drug tampering may have caused them to come in contact with an employee’s blood. The hospital is asking patients to get tested if they were treated with those drugs at the hospital during that period, as well as a full year prior, according to the report.

The state Department of Health is working with Shore Medical Center to investigate a potential infection control breach at the hospital, Dawn Thomas, state department spokeswoman, told The Press of Atlantic City.

“Although the risk of infection is low, out of an abundance of caution, the Department of Health is recommending that affected patients receive testing for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV,” she said.