The number of people who may have been infected with hepatitis C by scrub tech Kristen Diane Parker, who is accused of stealing drugs meant for patients, has risen to 35 people, federal court records show.
The patients had no indication that they had hepatitis C prior to their operations at Rose Medical Center in Denver or Audubon Surgical Center in Colorado Springs, where Parker once worked.
Although prosecutors believe that the 35 patients were infected by Parker, further genetic testing of the strain needs to be conducted.
Prosecutors said Friday that Parker, 26, now faces 19 counts each of tampering and illegally obtaining a controlled substance, down from 21 charges each handed up in a grand jury indictment last month. They say they want to focus on the 19 cases that are easiest to prove. Felisa Cardona, The Denver Post
