By Elishya Perera
SYDNEY (CWBN)_ More than 200 people in Victoria are being urged to test for blood-transmitted diseases, including HIV, amid fears of cross-contamination, from incorrect usage of blood glucose test devices. The devices were used on multiple people, who went through hotel quarantine in Victoria, between 29th March and 20th August this year.
These devices take a finger prick to get a drop of blood and even though the needle is changed between usages, microscopic traces of blood can remain within the body of the machine, creating a low risk of cross-contamination and infection. However, there is no risk of Covid-19 infection as the disease is not transmitted by blood.
According to the health minister, Martin Foley, the breach was identified and flagged by nurses at the Alfred Hospital in August. While Safer Care Victoria, the state’s healthcare quality and safety agency, has identified 243 people who had been tested by one of the shared machines during the mentioned period, 141 people have already been contacted, and 71 have been tested so far.
Safer Care Deputy CEO, Ann Maree Keenan, insisted that the clinical risk of cross-contamination is low, and claimed that Safer Care Victoria is conducting “a full review into how and why this device came to be in use”.
According to Department of Health and Human Service of Victoria, the state has reported more than 20,300 Coronavirus cases, including over 800 deaths, making it the Covid-19 hotspot of Australia. The country has reported more than 27,400 cases and at least 905 deaths in total.
Edited By Chathushka Perera
