After a patient came from the Bosnian town of Tuzla to Zenica, he was hospitalized for a treatment, not knowing he had contracted Covid-19, thus getting 45 hospital staff exposed to the disease, Zenica hospital director Rasim Skomorac told N1 on Sunday.

“This is a scenario that was expected to happen. No one could have predicted this situation. You all know that this was a patient who came from Tuzla’s heart disease centre. He was hospitalized due to his deteriorating health. No one had the information that he had the infection in Tuzla, after which there was a development of this situation and contact with health care workers,” Skomorac explained.

After learning that the patient was positive for Covid-19, they made certain organizational changes within the institution, primarily within the internal department.

“We made some rearrangements in terms of isolation of all patients and identified all our staff (45 persons in total) who came in contact with this patient. They have all been offered the possibility of isolation. We have isolated the remaining patients within the internal ward and they will be monitored in the future. We’ll see how the situation will develop. They will be tested as needed,” the director told N1.

Regarding health professionals, all those identified as possible contacts were offered accommodation in the Student Homes for follow-up, he added.

“Those who refused this will be isolated in their homes and will comply with the rules of isolation, the director confirmed. “Due to the lack of doctors and nurses within the internal department itself, we made a reorganization of the work schedule and at this point, we are able to provide all our services in the same capacity.”