June 15
NEW YORK -- Letters are on the way to 4,500 patients of an anesthesiologist who is suspected of infecting three people with hepatitis C last August, the New York City Health Department says.

There were 10 outpatient settings, all in Manhattan" where patients could have contracted the virus, said a Health Department spokesperson.

Liver-damaging hepatitis C is a virus contracted through blood-to-blood contact with an infected person, and it often does not cause symptoms early on. It is not yet known whether the unidentified anesthesiologist is infected. The infected patients contracted the virus through an intravenous tube.

Health department officials announced Thursday that they began their investigation in March, when the first case was brought to their attention. Medical professionals are required to notify the Health Department when a patient tests positive for hepatitis C.
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the last time ny had a hep scare they banned tattoos from fear of spreading it,,,i wonder if they will do that again,,,it wasnt long ago they lifted the ban on tattoos

It seems like there are alot of medical scares going on right now. The flesh eatign disease you posted about, hte guy with TB that flew back from Greece, possibly exposing hundreds to TB, now this. It is a scary world. Hep C is transfered by blood to blood contact. How on earth did an anesthesiologist pass it on like that?



Where did they ban tattoos at? That seems a little drastic. (Not saying it didn't happen mjust saying it seems drastic.) Here they are tested regularly and the stores are inspected by the health dept. every year.