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Press statement release from Mission Health, shared Feb. 12. This statement follows a report from the Asheville Citizen-Times of an unexplained rash found in Mission patients.
Statement on behalf of Mission Hospital
Unexplained rash found to be blisters not uncommon among hospitalized patients; not infectious
ASHEVILLE — We are pleased to report that, at this stage of our exhaustive and on-going investigation, we can confirm that the blisters a small number of our patients have experienced appear to be related to skin conditions not uncommon to post-operative patients. These conditions arise from such causes as pressure, friction and immobility. We have found no evidence of infection from our investigation and testing to date; the blisters are localized to the skin, and there is no evidence of any spread from person-to-person. Occurrence rates are extremely low. To date, approximately one-half of 1 percent of the more than 1,800 surgeries and procedures performed since Feb. 1 have resulted in this type of a skin condition — again, a condition not uncommon to post-operative patients. Patients experiencing this condition are being treated and discharged normally upon the order of their attending physician.