EXETER - The state is postponing hepatitis C testing clinics planned for this weekend and early next week for some 3,400 additional patients from Exeter Hospital.

State public health officials reached the decision late Thursday afternoon “after determining that there were several factors that had the potential to compromise the operation,” the state Department of Health and Human Service said in a statement.

The state announced earlier this week that former patients treated in the hospital's operating rooms and intensive care unit between April 1, 2011, and May 25, 2012, should be tested as part of the investigation in the hepatitis C outbreak.

The clinics were to be held at Exeter High School Saturday through Tuesday but have been called off for now.

“Our first priority is and always has been the health and safety of the citizens of New Hampshire,” said Nicholas Toumpas, commissioner of DHHS. “These clinics are a tremendous undertaking involving hundreds of people, and to ensure the best and safest experience for the patients coming for testing, the decision was made to delay. I realize this is another bump in the road in this extensive outbreak investigation, but it is in the best interest of everyone involved. We ask you for your patience as we work to determine the next steps.”

Dr. Jose Montero, the state's public health director, added, “We undertook this effort to provide the quickest results possible to as many people as we could in a short amount of time. But the reality is this was an unprecedented undertaking and there were just too many details that could not be worked out in time. The fault is ours and we deeply apologize for any inconvenience or worry this may cause. We continue our planning and are working to determine the best way to proceed with testing this newly identified group of patients.”

A public meeting on the outbreak is still planned for tonight at 6 p.m. at Exeter High School.