18 renal patients diagnosed with Hepatitis C at Tekirdağ health center

TEKİRDAĞ – Doğan News Agency

AA Photo

Some 18 renal patient receiving dialysis treatments at a health center in the Kapaklı district of the northwestern Turkish province of Tekirdağ have been diagnosed with Hepatitis C, prompting the center to halt new patient intakes. 

After two patients were diagnosed with the virus in June and four more patients were diagnosed in August, the Turkish Kidney Foundation requested inspections at its Kadriye and Kenan Tunalı Dialysis Center. It was informed that a total of 18 of its patients were diagnosed with Hepatitis C during their treatment at the center. 

Tekirdağ Health Director Yavuz Akbulut said Hepatitis C treatment for all diagnosed patients was being conducted and they were not planning to shut down the center. However, new intakes have been halted as part of precautionary measures. 

Ali Arda, a representative of the foundation, said the center, which currently hosts 106 patients, is carrying out the treatment process in coordination with the Tekirdağ Health Directorate and Namık Kemal University.

Arda added that diagnoses were made after samples from the patients were sent to the Ankara Public Health Directorate and now they are waiting for a response from the directorate on whether the origin of the outbreak came from within the center or outside it.