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China hospital heads sacked after hepatitis C outbreak

(Xinhua)    18:16, February 26, 2016

XI'AN, Feb. 26 -- Two heads of a hospital in northwest China's Shaanxi Province were sacked after 26 patients contracted hepatitis C during dialysis treatment, local authorities said Friday.

The president and a deputy president of Zhen'an County Hospital in Shangluo City were removed from their posts, and 13 other employees received administrative penalties, including admonitions and demerits on their records, a source with the county's health and family planning bureau said.

The 26 patients are all under observation while they receive treatment, the source said.

The patients were alleged to have contracted hepatitis C earlier this month during hemodialysis sessions at the hospital, said He Youwen, a hospital official.

"They are among some 40 kidney disease patients who regularly receive the treatment two to three times a week," he said.

The blood-born virus was detected during routine checkups between Feb. 17 and 19. As of Wednesday, 26 cases had been confirmed, he said.

The hospital has undergone thorough sterilization and seven new dialysis machines were brought in after the outbreak, the official said.

Inadequate sterilization was likely to blame, said Jiang Hongli, a specialist with the First Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University and a member of the government-led investigation team.

"We need to investigate further to fully determine how the problem occurred and who were responsible," said Jiang.

Liver disease specialist Han Ying confirmed that hepatitis C virus is transmitted mainly through blood. "The standard practice is for confirmed hepatitis C virus carriers to use separate dialysis equipment."

China reported 200,000 cases of hepatitis C last year, and 95 patients died, according to figures released by the National Health and Family Planning Commission.

With 601 staff and 500 beds, Zhen'an Hospital is the largest and busiest public hospital in the county, which has a population of about 302,600.

(For the latest China news, Please follow People's Daily on Twitter and Facebook)(Editor:Kong Defang,Bianji)

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