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FAITH COPY: The top image shows an original P3 mask, the bottom shows the P3 mask that the hospital received from the manufacturer and were not made. Photo: Per-Christian Johansen, University Hospital of Northern Norway
It is not known if the infection is due to the use of the pirated mask, but the hospital considers it likely. – Very unfortunate, says UNN CEO Anita Schumacher.
A UNN employee who has worn a pirated protective mask has tested positive for covid-19. The employee works at the intensive care unit in Tromsø, the hospital writes in a press release.
VG wrote last week that 150-200 employees had to undergo testing after wearing masks that were possibly hacked from China.
The thousands of P3 masks were a gift from Store Norske mining in Svalbard, and according to UNN communications adviser Jørn Ressvoll, they were also approved for hospital use. However, the donor had discovered that some of the equipment had a manufacturing defect and reported it to the hospital. Therefore, these must be placed in a warehouse outside the hospital pending quality assurance.
The hospital contacted the manufacturer 3M to find out the possible error, but was able to confirm that the masks did not come from them. UNN operations and property manager Grethe Andersen previously told VG.
On Friday, it turned out that the hospital had delivered hundreds of the masks.
The probability of infection is due to a poorer mask
The hospital cannot establish that the infection is due to the use of the pirated mask, but UNN believes this is likely to be the cause, they continue.
– This is very unfortunate and an unpleasant situation for the staff. Since all of the tests performed on the job were negative, and the employee stayed home after symptoms appeared, we consider it highly unlikely that they may have infected others, Schumacher said in the press release.
CONCERNED: Executive Director Anita Schumacher of the University Hospital in Northern Norway says it is highly regrettable that an employee who has worn a pirate mask is infected. Photo: Rune Stoltz Bertinussen
121 employees tested for piracy
Schumacher tells VG that they should note that 800 masks were delivered to the hospital. Initially they estimated that up to 200 employees could have worn the masks and had to be tested, but now they say the number is lower:
– After a more detailed review, 121 employees were evaluated after wearing the pirate masks. There is less than we initially estimated, but enough to make this very unfortunate, Schumacher says.
The employee who tested positive was evaluated multiple times after wearing the false mask. The first samples were negative. Then the employee had symptoms and stayed home.
It is primarily the employees of the intensive care unit with crown patients who use such respiratory protection. Employees who were at risk of becoming infected after wearing the masks were offered the opportunity to be tested every other day, says the hospital director.
She says the buggy masks have been tested later by the Norwegian Defense Research Institute, and the result showed that they don’t have a quality similar to the original P3 masks.
Over Easter, UNN has received infection control kits from the national acquisition and has what they need for the future, Schumacher says now.
