Doctor arrested after being accused of 'deliberately coughing' on nurses

A Connecticut doctor was arrested after police say he intentionally coughed on and hugged nurses in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.

The University of Connecticut Police Department arrested and charged Dr. Cory Edgar, 48, with breach of the peace, according to a police report obtained by the Hartford Courant. Police were reportedly called to the UConn Health outpatient surgery clinic after they were alerted that a doctor was “deliberately coughing on and hugging nurses, causing them a substantial amount of alarm.”

“The witnesses and medical workers believed he was purposely disregarding space and safety concerns involving the coronavirus pandemic,” said UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz.
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UConn Health, the branch of the University of Connecticut that oversees clinical care, said it is reviewing the incident.

“The involved doctor has confirmed that he is in excellent health and does not to his knowledge have COVID-19,” UConn Health spokeswoman Jennifer Walker told the Courant. “We can also state that any UConn Health employee with an indication of illness is asked to stay home, and during this pandemic all employees are screened for symptoms prior to entering the premises.”

Edgar is scheduled to appear in court on June 3.

Nearly 1,300 confirmed coronavirus cases have been reported in Connecticut.