Exeter Hospital says about 3,400 former patients are being asked to get tested for hepatitis C following a recent outbreak, which is far fewer than state officials had indicated.
The state's public health director said Tuesday testing was being recommended for roughly 6,000 people who underwent surgery at the hospital or were admitted to its intensive care unit between April 1, 2011 and May, 25, 2012, when a man suspected of causing the outbreak in the cardiac catheterization lab was employed. But Exeter Hospital said the number is closer to 4,800, and once duplicates and patients who've already been tested are removed, the total is about 3,400.
