A UNIT at the country’s main public hospital has been temporarily closed after one of its medical staff tested positive for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).
The GDN learnt that the gastroenterology department at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) was shut down after a trainee doctor contracted the virus from her mother who was Covid-19 positive after her return from an affected country.
The Health Ministry announced yesterday that the move was a precautionary measure and the department will resume functioning today after the necessary disinfection procedures are ensured.
“The (Health) Ministry would like to emphasise that the health and safety of patients and medical personnel is of top priority,” said the ministry in its statement to the state-run Bahrain News Agency.
“One of the treatment units at SMC has been closed as a precaution after results of the laboratory examination of a female trainee doctor were positive for Covid-19.
“She has been in contact with one of the existing cases, which is her mother, who came from abroad with the virus.
“The unit has been completely sterilised and disinfected, and all arrangements have been finalised to resume work at the unit tomorrow with another medical team.”
The ministry added that the infected person has been transferred to the isolation and treatment centre, to receive necessary medical care.
“The treatment will be carried out according to international standards set by the World Health Organisation (WHO),” added the ministry.
“The ministry has taken all precautionary measures by examining all those who have been in contact with the trainee doctor in the unit.
“They were all tested and found negative.
“As per procedure, they have been sent on home quarantine for 14 days and will be paid for these days.”
According to informed sources the mother of the trainee doctor has returned from Iraq.
“She was at the gastroenterology department whole of last week,” said the source.
“It is unclear as to how the case emerged, but she (the daughter) was transferred in an ambulance during the week, and that is when the unit was closed.
“The patients were moved to other wards and the staff have been asked to go on quarantine.
“A new set of staff is being readied to support the unit.”
The gastroenterology unit and its wards are located to the right of the SMC accident and emergency unit adjacent to the blood bank.
Meanwhile, the ministry also announced that it suspended a doctor for violating stipulated home quarantine procedures.
The dentist working in a private hospital has been referred to the authorities concerned, said the ministry on Twitter.
“A doctor working in one of the private dental clinics has been suspended and has been referred to the Public Prosecution for violating the procedures of home quarantine,” tweeted the ministry.
“The subject involving violation of medical practice has also been referred to the disciplinary committee at the National Health Regulatory Authority.”
The dental clinic in Seef confirmed to the GDN that all its doctors, except one, have been asked to remain at home in quarantine since they returned from Lebanon on Thursday.
“We have asked all doctors to remain in quarantine as they returned from Lebanon,” said a spokeswoman, who said the clinic was pursuing legal action against a social media post which exposed the incident on Sunday.
“Children of some of their staff returned from Italy and hence they (staff) were also asked to remain in self-quarantine.
“All of them tested negative and we are running our two clinics (another in Amwaj) with only one doctor.”
However, sources confirmed to the GDN that one of the doctors has been at the clinic and was attending to patients.
It remains unclear if any of the medics tested Covid-19 positive.
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