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Electric shock kills flu patient in hospital
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-04 08:29
HANGZHOU: Electrocution caused the "accidental" death of an A(H1N1) flu patient as the 34-year-old woman was showering in a hospital in Hangzhou on Wednesday, according to police. "An electricity leak from circuits in the patient's ward lavatory caused the electrocution of the patient as she was taking a shower," said a statement jointly released by the public security, health and quality supervision departments in the Zhejiang province city. The patient was identified as Lou Yihong, 34, who was admitted on June 23 to the People's Hospital, in Xiaoshan district, after being diagnosed with the A(H1N1) flu. She was found dead by a nurse in the ward's bathroom at 7:35 am on Wednesday. Her death sparked a large and lengthy protest from almost 50 of her family members at the hospital. The relatives damaged the inside of the hospital and pelted rocks at an ambulance. The patient had been recovering from the A(H1NI) flu and her temperature had been normal for a week before her death, hospital officials said. Lou's relatives had a closed-door discussion with officials at the hospital on Tuesday. Shen Xiaohui, director of the hospital, told Xinhua that the hospital would "properly handle the aftermath of the accident, and negotiate with the patient's relatives over compensation". Some newspapers and Internet media reported the relatives suspected Lou's death was caused by leakage of electricity from the water heater in her ward lavatory, and demanded compensation of 4 million yuan ($585,000) from the hospital. Xinhua (China Daily 07/04/2009 page3) |
