- HALIFAX (CP) -- Health officials
in Nova Scotia are investigating another suspected case of classical Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease in a provincial hospital.
-
- Dr. Jeff Scott, the province's chief medical officer
of health, announced Saturday that a patient from the South West District
Health Authority may have the fatal brain-wasting disease.
-
- The patient underwent a gastroscopy in late March at
the Yarmouth Regional Hospital. The flexible tube that was used to inspect
and biopsy the esophagus and stomach lining has been quarantined, however,
health authorities are contacting 33 patients who had a procedure with
the same gastroscope.
-
- Dr. Scott said there is no connection between this case
and a case reported earlier this week in Halifax, in which 26 patients
were treated using the same instruments used on a patient also suspected
of having the classical form of CJD.
-
- Dr. Scott also stressed that neither of the cases are
a result of eating contaminated beef and urged residents not to be concerned
about the food supply.
-
- ìRemoving this instrument is strictly a precautionî
said Dr. Lynn Johnston, hospital epidemiologist and infection control specialist
with Capital Health.
-
- "It's important to know that high-risk tissues were
not involved in this procedure. We will continue to investigate, work with
Health Canada and continue to follow their guidelines."
-
- Dr. Scott added this most recent case will be considered
in the review concerning the CJD case announced earlier this week.
-
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