Dozens of healthcare workers across the US test positive for coronavirus

Dozens of healthcare workers across the US are testing positive for coronavirus as they battle the highly-infectious disease on the front lines.

At a Chicago suburban hospital, two emergency room physicians have been diagnosed with the virus.

Meanwhile, in nearby St Louis, Missouri, two doctors associated with Washington University tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus.

And 200 people Children’s Hospital have been tested for coronavirus after a doctor was confirmed to have the virus. 

It comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention loosens their guidelines and says healthcare workers can work even if they’ve been exposed to coronavirus as long as they wear a mask. 

If they run out of masks, as many in the public continue to hoard, workers are advised to use a scarf or even a bandana.  

Two emergency room physicians and a patient at Rush Oak Park Hospital in Illinois (pictured) have tested positive for coronavirus

Two emergency room physicians and a patient at Rush Oak Park Hospital in Illinois have tested positive for coronavirus, reported NBC 5 Chicago.

All three are currently under quarantine in their respective homes. 

According to the hospital, one of the two doctors had not been seeing patients in the days before being diagnosed.

‘The other may have had patient and peer contact and we are assessing the overall risk of exposure, working with the Illinois Department of Public Health and advising patients and peers as appropriate,’ a statement read. 

NBC 5 Chicago reports that the sickened patient is an adult male in his 30s, but it is unclear why he was being care for at the hospital.

 The news caused the leaders of the Village of Oak Park to enact a shelter in place order, the first Illinois municipality to do so.

Beginning on Friday, March 20 and extending through April 3, all residents are urged to stay in their homes to avoid spreading the virus.

The authors of that study said slowing rates of infection in North American and Europe should occur between June and September. Pictured: Nurses wait for a patient in a car to pull forward to be tested for coronavirus in Seattle, Washington, March 18

The authors of that study said slowing rates of infection in North American and Europe should occur between June and September. Pictured: Nurses wait for a patient in a car to pull forward to be tested for coronavirus in Seattle, Washington, March 18

Two doctors at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri (pictured), tested positive for the virus on Wednesday,

Two doctors at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri (pictured), tested positive for the virus on Wednesday,

It is believed one of the doctors went to work while they were contagious and caught the bug via community spread.

It is believed one of the doctors went to work while they were contagious and caught the bug via community spread.

At Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, two doctors tested positive for the virus on Wednesday, reported KMOV 4.

Each are quarantined at their homes, one in St Louis City and the other in St Louis County, according to a statement from 

Mayor Lyda Krewson had announced on Wednesday that there was a second presumptive positive case of the virus in St Louis City, according to KMOV 4.

Krewson tweeted that it is believed the person went to work while they were contagious and caught the bug via community spread. 

The patient was middled-aged and had traveled recently, the mayor said. 

It is believed Krewson was referring to one the Washington University doctors, but the school could not confirm this due to privacy laws. 

‘While we still don’t have any detected signs of community transmission at this time, this case underscores the importance of what our healthcare professionals have been telling us,’ Krewson said. 

‘If you have any cold or flu-like symptoms, don’t go to work and seek medical attention.’

St David's HealthCare, a hospital in Austin, Texas (pictured), confirmed that one its physicians tested positive for the virus

St David’s HealthCare, a hospital in Austin, Texas (pictured), confirmed that one its physicians tested positive for the virus

The doctor was allegedly not exposed because of a breach of protocols at St David's HealthCare. Pictured: Paramedics wheel a patient into a hospital following the outbreak of coronavirus, March 18i

The doctor was allegedly not exposed because of a breach of protocols at St David’s HealthCare. Pictured: Paramedics wheel a patient into a hospital following the outbreak of coronavirus, March 18i

On Wednesday, St David’s HealthCare, a hospital in Austin, Texas confirmed that one its physicians tested positive for the virus, reported KXAN. 

Officials say they working to identify any patients or healthcare workers, the doctor may have come into contact with. 

St David’s said the doctor was not exposed because of a breach of hospital protocols and that workers will ‘continue to follow our best practices for preventing the spread of the coronavirus.’  

Austin Public Health has reported 23 confirmed cases in Travis County as of Thursday. It is not clear if the physician is one of the cases.

‘The majority of the interaction between the physician and patients/staff occurred in areas where most healthcare workers were wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), which reduces the risk of exposure to a very low level,’ St David’s HealthCare told KXAN. 

‘We will contact patients and providers who may require further observation and/or testing based on our risk assessment.’

KXAN asked if St David’s was canceling elective surgeries, but the hospital declined to answer.

Two hundred patients and health care workers at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin (pictured)have been tested after a doctor was infected with the virus

Two hundred patients and health care workers at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin (pictured)have been tested after a doctor was infected with the virus

The doctor worked with children who have severely compromised immune systems, including cancer patients. Pictured: Medics transport a patient into an ambulance at the Life Care Center of Kirkland in Washington, March 12

The doctor worked with children who have severely compromised immune systems, including cancer patients. Pictured: Medics transport a patient into an ambulance at the Life Care Center of Kirkland in Washington, March 12

Meanwhile, 200 patients and health care workers at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin have been tested after a doctor was infected with the virus.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the doctor worked with children who have severely compromised immune systems, including cancer patients.

He or she learned that they contracted coronavirus while traveling outside of Wisconsin,  but worked for a week without knowing they were sick. 

Mike Gutzeit, the hospital’s chief medical officer, told the Sentinel that is not believe any of the patients being tested are at the highest risk of contracting the virus. 

Those chosen for tests were identified by level of risk and level of exposure. 

‘This is a tremendous amount of work – we had a team working on it 36 hours straight,’ he said.

Hospital spokesperson Andrew Brodzeller told the newspaper that the doctor is currently at home with mild symptoms and recovering. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk