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HOSPITAL

Patients undergo HIV tests after soap mix-up

A hospital in Ticino has recalled 45 patients for HIV and hepatitis tests after it was found that equipment used during their treatment wasn’t properly sterilized.

Patients undergo HIV tests after soap mix-up
Photo: Lugano Regional Hospital

The patients could be at a “very small” risk of contracting hepatitis B and C and HIV, said Lugano Regional Hospital after the error involving endoscopy instruments at its Civic Hospital site during the week of February 15th.

According to the hospital, the instruments were washed incorrectly by a machine – twice with detergent instead of once with detergent and once with disinfectant – after a member of staff accidentally replaced a box of disinfectant with detergent.

“Although the high-temperature washing with soap represents the most important phase of the washing to act against infections, the use of disinfectant is to ensure the elimination of any remaining germs, even in small quantities,” the hospital said in a statement.

The 45 patients involved have been recalled for testing, although “the medical literature says that the risk is extremely low,” said the hospital.

Speaking to The Local, hospital spokesperson Mariano Masserini said the staff member involved had been temporarily suspended pending an internal investigation.

“Zero risk doesn’t exist in any hospital,” added Masserini. “Our commitment is to reduce the risk to as close to zero as possible and learn from the errors in order to continually improve the security and the quality of the treatments for our patients.”

The results of the tests are due in two to three weeks.

In its statement, the hospital apologized to the affected patients.

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STATISTICS

Norway saw fewer hospital patients in 2020 despite pandemic

Fewer patients were treated in hospital in 2020 than in 2019, with Covid-19 being the reason for the drop, according to Statistics Norway.

Norway saw fewer hospital patients in 2020 despite pandemic
Illustration photo by Audun Braastad / AFP)

The decline in patients has been largest for those awaiting planned treatments, but the number of people requiring immediate attention also dropped too, according to Statistics Norway figures.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, hospitals had to prioritise differently in 2020 as a result of the increased need for intensive care units.

“2020 was a year marked by pandemics and restrictions. In many places hospitals have had to prioritise differently due to the coronavirus, and perhaps particularly as the result of the increased need for intensive care,” the report said.

This has contributed to a decrease in the number of patients in hospitals at all levels of care.

The number of patients with 24-hour stays decreased by 7 percent. The total number of days spent in hospital fell by 11 percent or 380,000 fewer days in a hospital bed in 2020 compared to 2019.

Hospital stays lasting at least 24 hours include both planned and unplanned visits. In 2020 planned visits accounted for 29 percent of all visits, which is a decrease of 16 percent from the previous year, while visits for immediate appointments decreased by 3 percent.

READ ALSO: Norwegian senior medic calls for geographical division of Covid-19 restrictions

The figures show a decline for almost all diagnostic groups, but cancer patients had a smaller decline than other groups.

Planned treatment of various forms of cancer decreased by 8 percent, but acute help for tumours saw an increase of 11 percent.

This reverses a trend of numbers of patients in hospitals increasing year on year. The increases had primarily been driven by patients at outpatient clinics.

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