A worker was charged with infecting 32 patients with hepatitis C by injecting himself with their drugs to get high.
This month marks a year since the discovery of a hepatitis C outbreak at Exeter Hospital. Click through the photos above to see major events in the saga. RELATED Exeter Patch: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail updates
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David Kwiatkowski faces 98 years in prison.
A former Exeter Hospital medical technician facing 98 years in prison for allegedly causing a hepatitis C outbreak is set to go on trial in January. David Kwiatkowski is charged with spreading his hepatitis C to 32 patients by injecting himself with their medication to get high. A federal judge recently said Kwiatkowski's trial will start in January, the Associated Press reported. Prosecutors said Kwiatkowski shot himself up with powerful narcotics like Fentanyl meant for patients in Exeter Hospital's cardiac catheterization laboratory. He would then refill the needles with a saline solution to make it appear they were untouched—but the tainted needles were used on unsuspecting patients, according to prosecutors. Kwiatkowski was a "…
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Exeter Hospital and several staffing agencies are facing dozens of lawsuits.
The first of dozens of lawsuits against Exeter Hospital and several staffing agencies for a hepatitis C outbreak is set for a trial late next year. Exeter Hospital and several medical staffing agencies are facing 26 lawsuits after prosecutors said 32 patients contracted hepatitis C from a hospital worker who stole powerful narcotics to get high. Lawyers gathered at Rockingham County Superior Court in Brentwood Friday to coordinate the cases, according to the Associated Press. The first lawsuit case is scheduled for trial in November 2014, the AP reported. Many of the cases could be settled before that time. Some of the staffing agencies facing lawsuits include Nebraska-based Triage Staffing and the Minnesota-based American Registry of …
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A traveling medical technician was charged with infecting dozens of patients across the country, including 32 in Exeter.
Exeter Hospital is backing a report highlighting "gaps" in national health care licensing procedures blamed in a hepatitis C outbreak that infected dozens of patients across the country. David Kwiatkowski, a medical technician who worked at Exeter Hospital, was charged with infecting 32 patients there with hepatitis C, a potentially deadly liver disease. Prosecutors said Kwiatkowski, who has hepatitis C, stole patients' medication and injected himself with powerful narcotics like Fentanyl to get high. His tainted needles were then used on unsuspecting patients, prosecutors said. Kwiatkowski is accused of using similar tactics in Maryland and other states. He allegedly infected at least five patients in Maryland. Officials in that state …
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David Kwiatkowski was charged with starting a disastrous hepatitis C outbreak.
A former Exeter Hospital worker charged with infecting 32 patients with hepatitis C in New Hampshire will likely face similar charges in Maryland. David Kwiatkowski is currently sitting in jail awaiting trial on a host of charges. He faces 98 years in jail and $3.5 million in fines. Prosecutors said he spread his hepatitis C to 32 Exeter Hospital patients by injecting himself with their medication to get high. His tainted needles were used on unsuspecting patients, prosecutors said. Health officials said he used similar tactics at hospitals he worked at across the country. Kwiatkowski was a "traveler"—a medical technician placed at various hospital by staffing agencies. In Maryland, Kwiatkowski infected five patients and could soon face …
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Lawmakers are reviewing a bill filed in response to a hepatitis C outbreak at Exeter Hospital.
State lawmakers are reviewing new legislation prompted by a disastrous hepatitis C outbreak at Exeter Hospital last year. Medical technician David Kwiatkowski was charged with spreading his hepatitis C to 32 patients by injecting himself with their medication to get high. His tainted needles were used on unsuspecting patients, prosecutors said. Kwiatkowski was never drug tested in New Hampshire, according to prosecutors. House Bill 597, which can be found to the right in the "PDFs" section, would require some health care workers to be drug tested. One of the bill's co-sponsors is State Rep. Donna Schlachman, D-Exeter. The House Health, Human Services, and Elderly Affairs Committee will review the bill March 5 at 1 p.m. at the Statehouse in…
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Exeter Hospital is facing dozens of lawsuits after a hepatitis C outbreak infected 32 patients.
One of the 32 Exeter Hospital patients who contracted hepatitis C in an outbreak has settled a lawsuit with the hospital and several staffing agencies. Ronald Dufresne recently reached the settlement, his attorney told SeacoastOnline.com. The terms of the settlement weren't disclosed, though court documents show Dufresnse demanded more than $1.3 million, according to SeacoastOnline. Prosecutors said the hepatitis C outbreak was caused by 33-year-old David Kwiatkowski, who's currently sitting in jail on fraud and tampering charges. He faces up to 98 years in jail and $3.5 million in fines. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecutors said Kwiatkowski, who has hepatitis C, shot himself up with narcotics meant for patients in Exeter …
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Valerie Trunfio allegedly forged and cashed checks belonging to a former employer.
A Hampton woman who allegedly forged at least five checks belonging to the North Hampton woman for whom she was caring has been indicted in Rockingham Superior Court on six forgery-related felonies. Valerie Trunfio, 36, of Hampton, was previously arraigned in Hampton District Court on four counts of forgery in one criminal case against her, and one count each of forgery and receiving stolen property in another case. Trunfio was originally arrested on Aug. 31 after turning herself in at the Hampton Police Department. There are two sets of charges against her because both Hampton and North Hampton police have been working together on a "long" joint investigation of Trunfio, who allegedly stole checks from "a former employer" and cashed them …
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A medical technician was charged with infecting 32 patients with his disease by stealing medication to get high.
Lawmakers this month will review new legislation prompted by a disastrous hepatitis C outbreak at Exeter Hospital last year. Medical technician David Kwiatkowski was charged with spreading his hepatitis C to 32 patients by injecting himself with their medication to get high. His tainted needles were used in unsuspecting patients, prosecutors said. Kwiatkowski was not registered in New Hampshire for his work and was not drug tested in the state. Two bill would address those circumstances. House Bill 658 would establish a state medical technician registration system, while House Bill 597 would require some health care workers to be drug tested. Those bills can be found above as PDFs. HB 658 will be discussed by a House committee Thursday at …
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Two people came down with the illness in Massachusetts. No cases have been reported in Exeter so far.
Although the flu is on everyone’s minds this season, the norovirus—or winter vomiting bug—is making its rounds. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the norovirus causes about 70,000 hospitalizations and 800 deaths each year, mostly in young children and the elderly. Two people in Danvers, Mass. recently contracted the virus. No cases have been reported so far at Exeter Hospital or elsewhere in New Hampshire. Some of the virus' common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pains. The CDC points out that the norovirus is often referred to as the stomach flu, but it is unrelated to influenza. A new norovirus strain, GII.4 Sydney, was detected last year in Australia. The strain hit the U.K. and …
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1:23 pm on Thursday, January 31, 2013
Hey Jessica, You can certainly follow some of the tips above, but you should definitely check with your doctor. –The Editor more ›
Jason Claffey
3:03 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
"No! Who pays for it? The cost would surely be shifted to the consumer. Additionally, systems and processes that ensure proper management of controlled substances prevents drug diversion, not drug testing of health care workers!" –Lynda Goldthwaite via Facebook more ›