Testing for hepatitis C has begun on the patients of a P.E.I. surgeon who contracted the disease.
Chief health officer Dr. Lamont Sweet told CBC News Thursday 230 people in total have been notified they should be tested. They have all been patients of Dr. David Ashby, who, after a routine exam in February, was confirmed to have hepatitis C.
Appointments are set for 150 people this weekend.
"This makes up 65 per cent of the total number in the province, so this is a very high percentage coming in at one place in two days," said Sweet.
"All of the others have received letters, but there are a number of those who have already been tested."
It is not known how long Ashby has had the disease, and some of the people being tested were patients years ago. Ashby has voluntarily withdrawn from doing surgery.
People with appointments will have blood samples taken at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown. No results will be released until everyone has been tested.
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