Insect repellent release sickens 11 staff at South Australian hospital

An accidental release of mosquito repellent at Flinders Medical Centre in South Australia has left eleven staff members unwell and led to the closure of a dozen emergency hospital beds. The incident occurred around 2 a.m. when a staff member inadvertently knocked over the repellent while inspecting personal belongings.

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Staff, as they do, were going through somebody's belongings to make sure there was nothing in there that was a safety risk to the patient when they were left alone.

SA Health confirmed that no patients were affected by the substance, which was described as an "outdoor insect repellent" or "fogger-type spray." Staff reported symptoms ranging from minor to serious, with one individual in serious but stable condition. Two others were treated in the emergency department.

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My understanding is that it's an outdoor mosquito fogger-type repellent, like a spray, as I understand it.

Robyn Lawrence, the chief executive, stated that the staff members primarily experienced respiratory symptoms. The repellent was released when its lid was dislodged during the inspection. The closure of emergency beds highlights the disruption caused by the incident within the Adelaide hospital.

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In doing that, the lid was knocked off the repellent and it released itself.