"I was working while I had Covid": Shocking admission by Nis Gerontological Center caregiver

Photo illustration: Shutterstock, Telegraf/D.K.

Suzana Mitic, a caregiver at the Nis Gerontological Center, testified today at the trial of the former director of this institution, Milan Stevanovic, to say that in April 2020, during the Covid epidemic, she worked even though she was infected with coronavirus.

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"I didn't know I was infected, I didn't have any symptoms. I only found out that I was positive during the general testing on April 12, and I immediately went into quarantine. As I did not know that I was infected, I worked as usual with the residents, two days before the testing I left the night shift," she explained.

When asked by the judge of the Higher Court, Mirko Draskovic, whether the staff were tested before April 12, given that the coronavirus epidemic started a month earlier (in Serbia), and whether any of the epidemiologists or other doctors came to the institution, Suzana answered in the negative.

Both she and cleaning lady Danijela Jovanovic were questioned thanks to a motion filed by Stevanovic's defense, in order to support his allegations that all measures were taken to suppress the epidemic at the Gerontological Center.

Both workers at this nursing home testified that they had protective gear, that there was an isolation room in the institution, and that they informed the medical staff as soon as they noticed that one of the patients had symptoms of the disease.

Stevanovic is charged with a serious crime against people's health by not taking measures to protect the residents in the Gerontological Center from Covid, which resulted in 195 people there getting infected, 51 of whom died.

The trial will resume in January with the testimony from another witness and a court expert from the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Nis, Dr. Radovan Karadzic. If found guilty, Stevanovic faces up to 12 years in prison.

During the questioning, he denied guilt, stressing that he was in constant touch with the relevant ministry and followed their instructions, and that he also contacted the City Crisis HQ asking for help, but was told that the Gerontological Center was not under their jurisdiction.

(Telegraf.rs)