A line of disposable cleansing cloths commonly used in hospitals across the country has been recalled by the company due to possible Burkholderia cepacia contamination.
According to Health Canada, Sage Products issued a voluntary recall of many of its single-use, pre-moistened disposable cloths on Sept. 1.
The recall includes disposable washcloths and a line of antiseptic body cleansing cloths sometimes given to patients to use at home in preparation for surgery.
The products are mainly used in health-care settings but are also sold across the country at pharmacies and medical supply stores.
“We’ve identified any of the products that we have in our stock or that would have been distributed around hospitals that are subject to this recall and taken them out of use,” said Nova Scotia Health Authority spokesman John Gillis.
Gillis says since the NSHA became aware of the recall it has been actively contacting patients who have been given similar products through surgery clinics in the province.
Recall began in August
The company first issued a recall of one particular line of protective cream cloths in the U.S. on Aug. 1 and later expanded the recall to include four additional product lines on Aug. 19.
The recall was expanded internationally on Sept. 1.
The B. cepacia bacteria poses little medical risk to healthy people, but it can pose life-threatening problems to people with weakened immune systems or chronic lung diseases like cystic fibrosis.
Health Canada says no products sold in Canada have been confirmed to be contaminated.
The affected products have expiry dates ranging from between August 2016 and August 2018. Anyone who has the affected products in their home as asked to throw them away.
For a complete list of recalled products, visit Health Canada’s website.