Two ER doctors, including one known to be in great shape and in their 40s, are in critical condition after contracting the coronavirus.
According to the Grio, Dr. James Pruden, a 70-year-old man from Paterson, New Jersey, is currently in isolation after contracting the virus. Due to his age, Pruden’s condition is no surprise. However, the other doctor, whose name is being withheld, has no pre-existing conditions and is considered by peers as being in great shape.
It’s unclear how Pruden, who works at St. Joseph’s, contracted the virus. However, he agreed to release his name and picture in the hopes that more Americans will take the coronavirus outbreak seriously and stay indoors.
“The point we want to make is we are all at risk of this,” St. Joseph’s Health President Kevin Slavin told reporters last week.
The unnamed doctor works at EvergreenHealth Medical Center in Kirkland, Washington, where 40 people have already died due to the coronavirus and more deaths are expected.
“EvergreenHealth is providing care for one of our physicians who has a confirmed case of COVID-19,” a brief statement issued by the hospital on Sunday stated. “He is in critical condition but stable. Out of respect for our patient’s privacy and that of his family, there is nothing more we can share at this time.”
The risk for those who work in the medical community is exponentially higher than it is for others due to the close proximity doctors and nurses need to have with patients in order to treat them. Additionally, the spread of germs in a hospital even when cleaned constantly is significant.
Even the Center for Disease Control is not immune. One of the agency’s employees tested positive for the coronavirus Monday.
The coronavirus outbreak has changed everything from the internet to employment as cases continue to rise in the US. To date, there are more than 190,000 cases and more than 7,500 across the globe.