More than 200 people who stayed in quarantine and managed isolation facilities in Australia are urged to be tested for blood-transmitted diseases after health authorities admitted they reused blood-testing devices for multiple guests.
Victorian health agency Safer Care Victoria said it is contacting 243 people who had a blood glucose test between March 29 and August 20 because there is a risk of cross-contamination and blood-borne viruses, including Hepatitis B and C, and HIV.
"The clinical risk of infection is low. However, for reassurance, access to confidential testing will be arranged," it said in a statement.
Safer Care Victoria added there is no risk to people who didn't have a blood glucose test or to those who used a personal device to test their blood glucose levels. There is also no risk this incident could've spread COVID-19 because it isn't transmitted by blood.
There is also no ongoing risk to people currently in Victoria's COVID-19 accommodation because the devices were removed in August.
The test involved pricking a person's finger to get a drop of blood, and it is used to test the glucose levels in people with diabetes. They may also be used by pregnant women, people who have fainted or those who feel generally unwell.
"The testing devices in question were designed for repeated use by one person, not multiple people," Safer Care Victoria said.
"The needles can be changed between use, but the body of the devices can retain microscopic amounts of blood."
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews called the incident "a clinical error that was made some time ago".
"[It's a] very low risk, but you can't take any risks with these things. You have to follow them up properly and that's exactly what has happened," he said during a press conference on Tuesday.
The state's Health Minister Martin Foley said Safer Care Victoria and the Department of Human and Health Services trawled through 28,000 medical records to find everyone who was potentially at risk.
"I need to stress that this is, according to all the clinical advice, a very, very low risk of cross-contamination but, out of an abundance of caution, Safer Care Victoria and the Alfred [Hospital] are doing precisely the right thing," he said.
Safer Care Victoria deputy CEO Maree Keenan said there will be a "full review into how and why this device came to be in use".
"The health of past quarantine residents is our immediate concern, so arranging screening for them is our absolute priority. The clinical risk is low," she said.
"Right now, we won't be able to answer the many questions people will have about how this happened. Be assured that Safer Care Victoria is conducting a full review into how and why this device came to be in use.
"I hope that we will be able to bring peace of mind through getting people in for testing, and through the findings of our review."
