It was found that about 1000 patients were infected with hepatitis B infections. An investigation was led into this matter and was found that they attended two different regional hospitals, Waterford Regional Hospital (WRH) and Wexford General Hospital in the south. What was common among these victims were that they attended the hospital for a period of 13 months. The patients are now aware of their diagnosis. The diagnosis was first made by the Microbiology Department in WRH. As of now their conditions were scrutinized by an expert group. Also an enquiry would be made to establish if any other inpatient was in the vicinity of a hepatitis B patient and could have accidentally acquired the infection.

This would take place early next week by contacting the individual patient and ask them to attend their GP for a blood test. Hepatitis B is a liver disorder and occurs when there is contact between infectious secretions (mainly blood) and cut skin. It is serious disease and is caused by a virus. The symptoms occur depending on the patient's immunity level. In some adults complete recovery occurs normally within six months, and then they remain immune for life whereas some people may be ill for days or weeks and then recover. On the other hand a group of people recover without realizing that they have been infected but a few get infected which develop into a more serious illness. But the hospital staffs have been offered vaccination against hepatitis B to protect them against various complications.