Nevada confirms 7th hepatitis case

LAS VEGAS, March 19 (UPI) -- An investigation into a hepatitis C outbreak in Nevada has found a seventh case, this one linked to another endoscopy center owned by Dr. Dipak Desai.

The case was diagnosed in 2006 but never reported to the Southern Nevada Health District. Officials said it appears the illness was contracted at the Desert Shadow Endoscopy Center, the agency said Wednesday.

The patient, who tested negative before undergoing a procedure at the endoscopy center, was diagnosed with acute hepatitis C several weeks after the procedure.

"Our investigation is continuing regarding this potential case and we currently do not have enough information to determine what type of notification is required," said Dr. Lawrence Sands, the district's chief health officer, said in a statement.

Desai also owns Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada, which is at the center of the outbreak investigation after it was found that syringes were being reused and single dose vials of anesthesia medication were being used on multiple patients.