HEALTH officials are warning more than 400 women in Kent that they may have been exposed to the virus Hepatitis C.

It is thought the virus, which can cause liver failure, may have infected patients from two of the county's hospitals - the Medway Maritime in Gillingham and Dartford's Darent Valley Hospital.

The alert comes after a health care worker who had worked at the two hospitals was diagnosed with Hepatitis C.

Health chiefs have stressed that there is only a very small chance of anyone having caught the illness from the worker but they want to make absolutely sure. Letters have been sent to more than 400 women who had been treated at the two hospitals.

Hepatitis C is carried in the blood and can, in some circumstances, cause fatal liver problems.

Dr Alastair Stewart, from Medway Maritime Hospital, said: "We do not believe that we will find anybody with Hepatitis C as a consequence of exposure to this health care worker but we need to make sure, which is why we are doing this.

"If people are found to be Hepatitis C positive, and there is a very good chance that might have been from other sources, then they would be offered the appropriate treatment."

Health officials say women who have not received one of the letters would not be at risk and should not be concerned.