‘Super spreader’ doctor causes Russian region 50% bigger than Britain to go into lockdown after returning from Europe without isolating and 21 people became infected at his hospital
- Doctor was identified as Andrey Kern, surgery chief at a hospital in Syktyvkar
- He and his wife are in intensive care after being misdiagnosed with pneumonia
- 21 people have tested positive for COVID-19 after he returned from Europe
- All patients and medical staff have been barred from leaving the hospital
A ‘super-spreading doctor’ has caused a giant Russian region 50 per cent bigger than Britain to be locked down after 21 people became infected at his hospital when he returned from Europe.
So far 21 people are infected in Ezhvinskaya hospital with one reported fatality.
Hundreds more staff and patients have been tested and results are awaited.
The doctor was identified by Mash media outlet as Andrey Kern, who is head of surgery at the facility.
Pictured: Andrey Kern, the man identified as Russia’s ‘super-spreader’, after he returned from a trip to Europe and a number of people became infected with COVID-19 at his hospital. He and his wife are now in intensive care after being misdiagnosed with pneumonia
Pictured: A general view of Ezhvinskaya hospital in Syktyvkar, where 21 people have been infected with the killer coronavirus
Pictured: A view of surgery being performed at Ezhvinskaya Hospital in Syktyvkar, the regional capital of Komi in Russia
All are forbidden from leaving the hospital in Syktyvkar, regional capital of Komi republic, population 901,000, which straddles the Arctic Circle and is the largest region in European Russia.
The case has been described as similar to the Diamond Princess in the Arctic.
The government ordered all Komi citizens to self-isolate – the same status for those in the capital city Moscow, the country’s worst hotspot. Two dozen regions are also under self-quarantine rules.
All are forbidden from leaving the hospital in Syktyvkar (general view of the city, pictured)
Pictured: A locator map shows Syktyvkar, which has now been locked down, located in Komi, the largest region in European Russia
He and his wife are in intensive care after they were initially diagnosed with pneumonia.
Deputy health minister Igor Maklakov said: ‘Employees do not leave the hospital, no-one is allowed inside the institution.
‘Samples were sent for analysis. We are waiting for the results.’
Deputy health minister Igor Maklakov (pictured)said: ‘Employees do not leave the hospital, no-one is allowed inside the institution’
Some 118 staff and 223 patients are held in a bid to stop a large Covid-19 spread, according to reports.
But many medics had interacted with their families before the hospital was put on total lockdown, sparking fears of infection in the city and wider region, say locals.
Human rights lawyer Ernest Mezhak said that a female patient who died in the hospital on 22 March was found after her death to have contracted coronavirus.
On Monday Russia had 1,836 officially registered cases of the infection, with nine deaths.