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State health officials now say a total of 18 hepatitis C cases appear linked to drug-theft suspect Kristen Diane Parker, up from 15 the week before.
The state revises its total as it receives test results from Rose Medical Center and Audubon Surgery Center, where Parker had worked as a scrub technician.
Parker, who has hepatitis C, has told authorities she stole surgery drugs, injected herself and put infected needles back on carts for use on surgery patients.
The state’s website lists one case at Audubon and 17 at Rose. Audubon has said it believes more rigorous lab testing will eventually show its case was not linked to Parker.
Test results have now been reported for about 3,100 of nearly 6,000 surgery patients potentially exposed.
