§ 54. Mr. Stodartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of hepatitis have occurred in the Western General Hospital and the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, this year; whether the cause of them has been determined; and what action is being taken to prevent any recurrence.
§ Mr. Ross:Fifteen cases of viral hepatitis have occurred in 1970 in the Medical Renal Unit at the Royal Infirmary and four in the Nuffield Transplantation Unit at the Western General Hospital. Three of the cases in each hospital were members of staff.
It has not so far been possible to establish precisely the origin of the current outbreak in these hospitals or the mode of infection in every case.
Procedures for handling potentially infected material have been reviewed and reinforced. Every case is being intensively followed up to try to trace the origin and route of infection. Contacts of cases have been given gamma globulin as a prophylactic measure. In addition, the South-Eastern Regional Hospital Board is establishing a professional working party under a distinguished microbiologist to examine and advise urgently on current procedures.