Adding to Israel’s swine flu worries is the situation at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, which has resulted in a tuberculosis alert involving some 200 staff members and patients who were in contact with an infected patient. They have all been summoned to undergo testing for traces of the pulmonary illness.
 
The infected patient was admitted at the end of January but tuberculosis was not detected at that time and therefore, she was not held in isolation. About three months later, she found herself in Herzog Hospital where the diagnosis of active tuberculosis was made, prompting the health alert at Hadassah.
 
The hospital investigation estimates 50 patients and 150 staff members were in contact with the patient in question and they will all undergo testing. The names of the people have also been filed with the district and national health offices of the Health Ministry in an effort to obtain assistance in tracking down the patients in question.

Hadassah officials report that Herzog Hospital and Health Ministry officials are all working together towards bringing the situation under control in an expeditious fashion.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)