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Posted: Thursday, January 1st, 2004 2:27 PM HST

Wasp invasion closes Kona operating room

By Associated Press

(Kealakekua-AP) -- Wasps have forced the closure of a Kona Community Hospital operating room since last week. The wasps have been bothering occupants of Operating Room Number Three since April. Workers recently discovered the bugs were living in a cluttered crawl space above the operating room, entering through spaces around light fixtures. The wasps have stung at least one patient. Hospital officials are meeting with exterminators to determine what type of chemical can be used to eliminate the problem. In the meantime, hospital policy directs medical personnel who spot a wasp to cover up any open wound of a patient in surgery and then --quote-- ``knock them down, stomp them, crush them.'' (Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)