Arabic version: تسرّب طارد حشرات يُمرض 11 من موظفي مركز فليندرز الطبي

According to ABC News, 11 staff members at Flinders Medical Centre in South Australia became unwell after an outdoor insect repellent was accidentally released inside the hospital’s emergency department. The incident occurred at about 2am on Thursday, and SA Health said no patients had become sick.

SA Health chief executive Robyn Lawrence said the affected workers, all from the emergency department, reported symptoms ranging from serious to minor. One staff member was in a serious but stable condition and had been admitted to hospital, while two people were being treated in the emergency department. Dr Lawrence said the symptoms were predominantly respiratory, including difficulty breathing.

Dr Lawrence said staff had been checking a person’s belongings for potential safety risks when the lid of what she described as an outdoor mosquito fogger-type repellent was knocked off, causing it to release. SA Health described the event as an “unfortunate accident”.

Twelve of the emergency department’s 59 beds were closed while decontamination work continued. Ambulances were being redirected to help balance demand across the system, and there was no timeline for reopening the beds.

The Metropolitan Fire Service had been at the site for several hours, assisting staff and carrying out tests of the air, surfaces and equipment in affected areas. Dr Lawrence said it took a number of hours for staff to begin reporting symptoms, prompting concern that additional support was needed to ensure the area was safe for workers and patients.