Hospital: No infections after potential exposure to diseases

DUBLIN, Ga. (AP) — A middle Georgia veterans hospital says it hasn’t identified any new infections a month after it warned that more than 4,600 veterans might have been exposed to HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

The Telegraph of Macon reports that the Carl Vinson Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dublin paused medical procedures for two days in January after discovering problems with how medical instruments were sterilized.

The hospital sent letters to thousands of patients who had dentistry, endoscopy, urology, podiatry, optometry, or surgical procedures in 2021. They warned veterans that they may have been exposed to blood-borne pathogens.

Hospital spokesperson James W. Huckfeldt told the newspaper that it’s still testing, but that it hasn’t confirmed any new infections. Huckfeldt said any veteran found to be infected will be analyzed to try to determine when they were infected.

Staff from other veterans’ hospitals were called in to sterilize equipment and retrain workers.

Veterans can call 478-274-5400 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday for more information.