Public Information Office
(603) 271-9391
May 31, 2012
EXETER, NH – Exeter Hospital has identified four individuals who were recently diagnosed with hepatitis C. Due to common elements in their clinical history, Exeter Hospital reported the cases to the New Hampshire Division of Public Health Services to seek their assistance.
Testing by the Division of Public Health Services has confirmed that all four cases share an
identical strain, which means they were infected by the same source. We are currently working
with the experts at Public Health to investigate and determine the source of the infection. The
common place of connection for the infected individuals at Exeter Hospital appears to involve the
Cardiac Cath Lab. Exeter Hospital voluntarily suspended operations in the Cardiac Cath Lab on
Friday May 25th pending the completion of appropriate testing. We anticipate that it will be
cleared to resume operations shortly.
As part of the investigation, together with the Division of Public Health Services, we are in the
process of proactively reaching out via phone and letters to all patients who received care in the Cardiac Cath Lab since August 1, 2011 to recommend they return for hepatitis C testing.
Exeter Hospital is providing this confidential testing at no charge for these patients and to make
the screening as convenient as possible, we have arranged for multiple dates and times. Test
results will take 7-10 days and results will be sent directly to the patient’s primary care physician.
Together with Public Health, we are doing our very best to make this process as accommodating
and supportive as possible for patients.
We have established a dedicated phone line through Exeter Hospital’s Information and Referral
Center to assist patients and schedule tests. The Referral Center has also extended its hours to
7:00am through 7:00pm Monday through Friday.
We will continue to work closely with the New Hampshire Division of Public Health and if there
are any questions, individuals are encouraged to call them at (603) 271-4496. For more information visit www.exeterhospital.com or call 603-580-6124. Further information
and updates will be released as they become available. For more information about hepatitis C visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov/hepatitis.