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

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.

Malaysiakini contacted Goh after he had earlier taken to Facebook to express his frustration over his ordeal due to the “selfish” action of the patient in withholding crucial information.

In his post, the anaesthesiologist explained that on March 18, he was called in for an emergency procedure as the patient was delivering.

Upon completion of the delivery, Goh said he returned to his family and even had dinner with his elderly parents, whom he said were put at risk as well.

“After all the work done in the hospital, I went home to my family as usual. I even went to my parents' house for dinner. (For your information, my dad is a 75-year-old man who had undergone bypass surgery)...

“My heart sank after the news (that she was tested positive). Not because I could be potentially infected but my family would be in danger because of my work,” he added.

Goh said that aside from him, operating theatre staff, labour room staff and consultants had to be quarantined for two weeks as well.

“Because of one single selfish person... Please tell the truth when you consult us. Do not hide any information from us.

“At least if you tell us the truth, we will be more prepared as in wearing proper (personal protective equipment) PPE while doing the operation.

“Not telling us is like ambushing us, asking us to go to war without guns and bulletproof vest,” he added. - Mkini