A patient remains in intensive care at the AZ Sint-Blasius Hospital in Dendermonde, after being administered with a contrast agent during a medical scan.
Seven other people who were given the same contrast agent also fell ill. In total, six patients are still hospitalised at the facility.
The incidents occurred on Wednesday morning when the patients were undergoing scans at the radiology department. Shortly after receiving injections of the contrast agent, they independently began experiencing symptoms such as fever, chills, and an elevated heart rate.
Eight individuals were initially hospitalised, three of whom were placed in intensive care. On Friday, two of these critical patients were transferred to a standard hospital ward.
“The patients are showing signs of infection, but the precise cause remains unclear,” the hospital said in a statement. “A large-scale investigation is underway, meticulously exploring all potential leads. At the request of AZ Sint-Blasius, experts from the relevant authorities are collaborating in this investigation.”
Interim Managing Director Peter Van Puyvelde reassured, “Our primary focus is on the medical monitoring of the affected patients. Their attending physicians are keeping them fully informed of all developments.”
The hospital also confirmed that all necessary measures have been implemented to restore normal operations in the medical imaging department.
