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After contact with patient who lied, doctor describes agony and isolation

Darshini Kandasamy
Published 7:21 pm
Modified 7:45 pm

CORONAVIRUS | The Kedah-based anaesthesiologist, who tended to a patient who lied about having contact with a tabligh attendee and later tested positive for Covid-19, described the anguish he and his family have been put through.

Forced into a two-week quarantine, Dr Kevin Goh (above) said he lived in fear for his family, especially the first couple of days while awaiting the result of his initial test for coronavirus.

“It was an agony for my family and me.

“At present, I am being isolated from my family. I am literally spending my days outside in my lawn,” the 42-year-old doctor told Malaysiakini.

Although Goh tested negative for the virus, which has to date killed eight in the country, he explained that in order to protect his family, he chose to spend the days in his garden and sleep in a separate room at night. 

“My children are inside the house. I’m afraid of spreading (the infection) to them, even now. Although the first test was negative, who knows?

“I am now talking to my children and wife using video call and WhatsApp,” he said.

In between the conversation, the father-of-two joked that at least he is able to spend his days gardening.

Asked how his family was coping, the doctor told Malaysiakini that his wife was putting up a brave front.

Despite this, Goh said he knew she was “sad”, especially on the day they received news the patient, who was delivering her child at the Pantai Hospital Laguna Merbok in Kedah, tested positive.

“My wife was supportive but sad. She didn’t express it but I know she was scared too,” he said.

The entire hospital had to be closed for two days from March 22 to undergo “full terminal disinfection and fumigation” because of the patient testing positive for the virus. 

‘I had dinner with my elderly parents that night’

According to the hospital, the 30-year-old woman had not divulged her close contact with a Covid-19 case and was admitted.

“However, she developed a fever after giving birth.

“Further questioning led to the finding that the woman had been living with a family member who had attended the tabligh gathering… and who tested positive for Covid-19,” the hospital stated.

The tabligh cluster is linked to over 60 percent of the 1,183 Covid-19 cases recorded so far. Authorities are still tracing some 4,000 of the 14,500 Malaysians who attended the gathering late last month.

For More:
https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/515946

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Pregnant patient hid tabligh link, forces hospital to close after testing positive

Published 4:14 pmModified 7:00 pm97

CORONAVIRUS | A Kedah hospital has urged patients to be upfront about their medical and travel history after a pregnant patient who failed to do so tested positive for Covid-19.

Pantai Hospital Laguna Merbok will now close for the next two days (March 22 and 23) to undergo “full terminal disinfection and fumigation”.

“The case is of a 30-year-old Malaysian woman who did not provide full disclosure during the screening process at the hospital and was admitted for (birth) delivery following the usual process.

“However, she developed a fever after giving birth.

“Further questioning led to the finding that the woman had been living with a family member who had attended the tabligh gathering at the Sri Petaling Mosque in Kuala Lumpur and who tested positive for Covid-19,” it said in a statement today.

“The hospital urges all visitors to do their part to curb the spread of Covid-19 by being socially responsible. This includes practicing good personal hygiene and providing full and accurate disclosure during the screening process,” it added.

The patient is now being treated at Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah in Alor Setar.

Meanwhile, the private healthcare facility has since disinfected all areas visited by the patient. Contact tracing has also begun.

“All staff who had been in contact with the patient have been identified, placed under quarantine and (they have) tested negative for Covid-19,” it added.

‘Police report will be made if you hide info’

For more:

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/515920

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