An HIV scare in Australia is centred around an Australian hospital which fears nearly 100 babies may have been infected while receiving medical care.
Nearly 100 former patients of The Canberra Hospital will be offered blood tests for possible diseases because of concerns about inadequate sterilisation of surgical instruments.
ACT Health says it has concerns that 97 babies may have been infected with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or HIV when they had a biopsy of the colon between Jan 1987 and October last year.
Deputy chief health officer Charles Guest says there is a low risk of disease transmission. “But it was important that the patients and their parents be informed that this breach had occurred and that their minds really be set at rest by offering them this testing,” he said.