UP TO 10 of the blood products infected with HIV remain untraced as the State's hospitals and health boards continue to search their records to locate the missing issues.
The Minister for Health, Mr Noonan, is to say today what progress has been made in the search which involves 31 blood products issued by the Blood Transfusion Services Board (BTSB). Records go back a number of years.
During its search, the Midlands Health Board identified another issue of the blood product which was given to a woman patient who has since died. The other boards are continuing their searches, with some bringing in extra staff.
A spokesman for the Midlands Health Board confirmed it had found a further case. "Up to now we have identified one elderly patient from the list given to us by the BTSB. The woman received a unit of blood. She was terminally ill and died during that admission."
He said the board would now try to inform the woman's family. However, they anticipated difficulties as they had been unable to contact it at the time of her death.
The Eastern Health Board reported to the BTSB soon after it got the September letter that a search of its three general hospitals had revealed that one of the products was given to an elderly man in 1987. He died two years later from conditions related to his original illness.
Three of the batches were discovered by the South Eastern Health Board. One was given to a Co Kilkenny nurse who is now HIV positive and the remaining two were given to elderly male patients who have since died.
The Southern Health Board said the Cork BTSB centre had informed it that none of these blood products was sent to the Cork centre for distribution. Therefore, they did not receive any communication from the BTSB in September.
The North Eastern Health Board has found no corresponding records, according to a spokesman. The North Western Health Board is expected to complete its search today.
St James's Hospital in Dublin has completed its search and has not found any of the products. The searches in the Mater Hospital and St Vincent's Hospital continue.
THE following are the members of the board of the Blood Transfusion Service Board:
Mr Joseph Holloway (chairman); Dr Rosemary Boothman; Mr Michael Collins; Mr Roy Hannon; Mr Brendan Houlihan; Mr Patrick Hourigan; Ms Valerie Mannix; Prof Nollaig Parfrey; Dr Sheelagh Ryan; Prof Diarmiud Shanley; Ms Ann Small; Prof Ian Temperley.
Chief executive officer: Mr Liam Dunbar. Medical director: Dr Willie Murphy