COVID-19 patient remanded for ‘deliberately coughing on doctors’

TDT | Manama

A man diagnosed with the coronavirus (COVID-19) has been thrown behind bars for deliberately attempting to spread the virus by coughing on doctors and applying his saliva and mucus on them, it has been learnt. The man could be facing a jail term of three years and a hefty fine of up to BD10,000 if convicted by the court.

Confirming the news, Chief Prosecutor Adnan Al Weda’ee explained that the man has been remanded and is awaiting his trial before the concerned court. Al Weda’ee said in a press statement issued by the Public Prosecution yesterday that the suspect was diagnosed with COVID-19 after undergoing a test.

When called to the examination centre after being diagnosed with the virus, the man deliberately removed his facemask and coughed on doctors, in an effort to transmit the virus to them. According to Al Weda’ee’s statement, the suspect also purposely coughed in his palms and touched doctors with his secretion-covered hands.

“The Public Prosecution has interrogated the suspect and charged him with exposing others to infection, which is a crime punished by Law 34 for 2018 on promulgating the Public Health Law,” Al Weda’ee said. “The punishment of this crime is imprisonment for three years and a fine of up to BD10,000. “The prosecution ordered to detain the suspect pending further investigation in order to refer him to the concerned court.”