Health Minister Jenny Mikakos doubles down on scathing Dr Chris Higgins stance
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos has doubled down on her scathing comments towards the Toorak doctor who tested positive to coronavirus — despite intense backlash from Victorian medics. Here’s what she has to say.
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Health Minister Jenny Mikakos has refused to apologise for her comments about a Toorak doctor who unknowingly treated about 70 patients while he had a mild case of coronavirus.
The Victorian MP renewed her stance in a press conference on Monday while praising the work of doctors and nurses, but resisted calls for her to say sorry to Dr Chis Higgins.
“I’ve reached out to the GP involved and … my thoughts are with him,” Ms Mikakos said.
“I wish him a speedy recovery. My thoughts are with his patients.
“But we will not deviate from our absolute focus, and that is a public health emergency, and making sure the Victorians get access to information they need.”
But while the Health Minister has doubled-down in her stance, doctors have thrown their support behind Dr Higgins — father of singer Missy Higgins — who returned a positive test for COVID-19 at the weekend.
The GP, who was Victoria’s 11th case, recently flew home from the USA with what he has described as a “mild cold.”
Ms Mikakos’s statement that she was “flabbergasted” the doctor would work with flu-like symptoms has drawn anger from medical professionals, lobby groups and politicians who say it was “botched” and “unhelpful”.
Associate Professor Julian Rait, the president of the Victorian Medical Association, said Dr Higgins would have been turned away if he had presented to an everyday clinic.
“We don’t feel that this poor GP was certainly someone who could have reasonably thought he was at risk, and moreover we don’t believe that he was required to undergo testing,” Mr Rait said.
“He actually went further and to be absolutely sure about his circumstances elected to get a test himself.
“He should be commended for taking that extra step himself.”
President of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Dr Harry Nespolon, said the college “stands behind Dr Higgins.”
“These sorts of comments are a real blow to the morale of GPs, who are feeling vulnerable and unsupported on the frontline,” he said.
Dr Higgins also defended the decision to work himself, taking to Facebook to explain his mild symptoms did not meet the government’s criteria for needing to be tested.
“As the doctor concerned, I have been upset about the inaccuracies and unfairness of your comments,” he wrote.
“I believe you have taken a cheap opportunity for political grandstanding and would appreciate an apology.”
At least 70 patients of Dr Higgins remain isolated while waiting to find out if they have contracted coronavirus after having consultations after he returned from a holiday in the US.
The Toorak Clinic released a statement on Sunday saying it would be will be closed until further notice following a positive test result for COVID-19 for Dr Higgins.
Toorak Clinic spokesman Dr Charles Bush said other doctors from the practice decided to self-isolate pending further advice from the Victorian Department of Health because the safety of patients and the community was their top priority.
“We understand that there is a great sense of anxiety and uncertainty in the community following the outbreak of this virus. For this reason, the practice will remain closed for at least the next week., Dr Bush said.
“I would also like to thank all those who have called to ask about our colleague Dr Higgins. He is currently doing well and has greatly appreciated the support he has received.
“This is a very difficult time for front line medical professionals, but common sense and a calm approach must prevail. We will be guided by the Department of Health in Victoria, and at a national level, as we come to grips with an evolving situation.”
But while the medical community has rallied around Dr. Higgins, federal health minister Greg Hunt backed his state counterpart and refused to criticise Ms Mikakos, instead calling for unity.
“This is a time to come together,” he said.
“Today, in my view, is not a day for criticism, but for unity.”
A petition calling for Minister Mikakos to apologise to Dr Higgins has already reached 2460 signatures in just over 24 hours.
Dr Higgins’ wife, Margaret Higgins, told the Sunday Herald Sun all her husband had done was “stick to her (the Minister’s) Ministerial guidelines”.
“There are google reviews for the Toorak clinic all saying how disgusting it is that the Minister has thrown him under the bus,” Mrs Higgins said.
Mrs Higgins said when he returned from the United States, Dr Higgins described his illness to her as “the mildest cold I’ve ever had”.
Dr Higgins, who also uses his medical skills at Footscray’s Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, had recently travelled to Denver and Vail in Colorado via Los Angeles.
He was there for 12 days prior to becoming ill.
The number of Victorian cases rose to 15 with the addition of three confirmed illnesses on Tuesday.
Two of the new cases were travellers returning from the US and another was from Iran.
One of the cases, a man in his 50s, was on the same flight from the US and Dr Higgins- United Airlines flight UA60 on February 29.
“It is not clear if he picked up the virus on the flight or while overseas,” a statement from the Victorian Health and Human Services read.
“He was not unwell on the flight but had mild symptoms the day after he arrived.”
Before diagnosis, the man went on a winery tour and for lunch at Wine by Sam in Seymour on March 3.
Two days later he went to a private screening of The Amber Light at Nova Cinema in Carlton.
Another of the new cases was a woman in her 20s who came to Australia on Qantas flight QF94 from Los Angeles, arriving at 9.40pm on March 6.
Both of the cases from the US are now recovering at their homes.
The third new cases, a woman in her 50s, came to Australia on March 6 on MH0149 from Tehran via Kuala Lumpur.
She had pneumonia and remains in hospital in a stable condition.
“There are no public exposure sites for each of the two female cases,” a Victorian Health statement read.
“Close contacts of all these cases are being advised and monitored.”
Flight manifests from the Qantas and Malaysia Airlines flights are being collected to do further contract tracing.
RISK TO GENERAL POPULATION IS LOW: GOVT
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