The incident occurred after a man became disgruntled in the ED’s waiting room. He pulled a stained towel from his backpack and threw it on a desk in front of a hospital employee, saying it was “chemical warfare.”
The hospital evacuated about 35 people from the ED, and three individuals underwent decontamination protocols as a precaution.
Preliminary testing did not identify any dangerous substances on the towel, although additional testing is ongoing, according to New Haven Fire Chief John Alston Jr.
The man left the scene after the incident occurred, and authorities are still looking for him. Yale New Haven’s ED is functioning normally.
More articles on patient flow:
Mayo Clinic to end surgical services at 2 hospitals
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health plans nation’s first rural geriatric ED
New York hospital to end inpatient care, affecting 55 jobs
Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit
