Australian health officers said an anesthetist at a Melbourne clinic might have deliberately infected at least 12 women who had abortions there with Hepatitis C.

Police were expected to place charges against the doctor, who was involved in treating the women patients for the six months until December but has not worked at the clinic since then.

John Carnie, state chief health officer of Victoria told reporters, I find it difficult to imagine how an accidental transmission could affect 12 patients.

My main concern at this stage is that I am still unable to explain or to determine the method of transmission of the Hepatitis C virus from this doctor to these patients, he explained.

Daniel Andrews, Health Minister of Victoria said more than a dozen women could be infected.

There are other patients that could be at risk, he said.

Medicine Infection Abortion