Fears for hundreds of vulnerable patients as top surgeon fails to self-isolate after catching coronavirus on skiing holiday in Italy and ‘health professional’ at Great Ormond Street children’s hospital contracts killer virus
Fears hundreds of vulnerable patients have been infected with coronavirus were sparked today after an infected surgeon failed to self isolate.
The senior surgeon at Liverpool’s Aintree University Hospital contracted the virus on a family skiing holiday in northern Italy in late February and went back to work as normal last week.
The father operated on scores of patients with a range of chronic conditions such as cancer and sinus disease while infected with the fiercely contagious illness. He normally treats up to 400 patients a week.
It comes as Great Ormond Street hospital cancelled surgery for children with serious heart problems for two weeks after one of its ‘health professionals’ tested positive.
The world-famous children’s hospital in London is suspending all heart operations and transplants on youngsters until March 23 following the diagnosis.
Patients with underlying health problems are most at risk of suffering deadly complications from the virus due to their weakened immune systems.
Britain is braced for an explosion of thousands of cases in the coming weeks as health officials struggle to contain the virus. So far 321 people have caught it and five have died.
The senior surgeon at Liverpool’s Aintree University Hospital (shown) contracted the virus on a family skiing holiday in northern Italy in late February and went back to work as normal last week
It comes as Great Ormond Street hospital cancelled surgery for children with serious heart problems for two weeks after one of its ‘health professionals’ tested positive
The Liverpool doctor arrived back in the UK after the Italy trip on February 29 and went to work just two days later on March 2.
At the time the Government said people returning from northern Italy – Europe’s coronavirus epicentre – did not have to self-isolate unless they were showing flu-like symptoms.
It is unclear whether the surgeon was showing symptoms when he flew back to the UK.
The surgeon is believed to have attended a team meeting at Aintree University Hospital last Wednesday with dozens of other doctors who went on to treat countless other patients, The Sun reports.
He fell ill a day later and was asked to go home before later testing positive for the killer virus.
Meanwhile, NHS bosses at Great Ormond Street have also cancelled outpatient clinics for under-18s with cardiac conditions over fears the virus could strike the vulnerable patients.
The hospital treats the UK’s most seriously ill children, who are most at risk of falling seriously ill with coronavirus.