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Attorney: Nurse accused of spreading hepatitis C shows no virus

An attorney representing former Good Samaritan Hospital nurse Cora Weberg, accused by hospital officials of stealing drugs and infecting at least two patients with hepatitis C, now claims independent testing of Weberg shows she does not have the virus.

“The blood test concluded undetective for hepatitis C virus,” said Bryan Hershman. “That means she does not have hep C.”

Weberg quit her job as an emergency room nurse earlier this year when she was accused of infecting  patients, possibly by using needles on herself to inject narcotics, and then using the same needles on patients.

At a May 8th news conference, Weberg denied doing that.

“I want everyone to know that I never intentionally or unintentionally stuck anyone with a needle with which I’d previously stuck myself,” said Weberg. “Of all the allegations that have been made against me, this is the most awful.”

Weberg was arrested, but never charged, with suspicion of second-degree assault because of the allegations.

She was picked up at the Canadian border on her way to Vancouver to catch a flight to Guam on a previously planned family trip.

The state stripped her of her license to practice nursing.

But Hershman says the evidence against Weberg has always been flimsy, and cited a letter he obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tested antibodies found in Weberg's blood against blood from two patients at Good Samaritan Hospital who tested positive for hepatitis C after being treated at the hospital.

Quoting the letter, Hershman said, "There is almost no chance to link the respondent (Weberg) with the patients except that she’s the only nurse common to both patients.”

A spokesperson for MutliCare, operators of Good Samaritan Hospital told KIRO 7 their investigation into an outbreak of hepatitis C at the hospital remains under investigation.

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