A doctor in Connecticut was arrested on Thursday after police stated co-workers said he had intentionally coughed on and hugged nurses at the hospital where he worked.
UConn police charged Dr. Cory Edgar, 48, an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the UConn Musculoskeletal Institute, with breach of peace, as The Hartford Courant reported. The police report stated that they were summoned to the UConn Health outpatient surgery clinic in Farmington, Connecticut, for a report of a doctor “deliberately coughing on and hugging nurses, causing them a substantial amount of alarm.” Multiple witnesses allegedly saw the actions the doctor took.
UConn Health spokeswoman Jennifer Walker stated that to the best of her knowledge, Edgar does not have the coronavirus. She stated, “The involved doctor has confirmed that he is in excellent health and does not to his knowledge have COVID-19. 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.”
The Daily Mail reported that Walker stated that witnesses said Edgar “intentionally coughed on two other medical employees at the health center in close proximity.” The Daily Mail wrote that witnesses added they thought he was “purposely disregarding space and safety concerns involving the Coronavirus pandemic.”
The Courant noted, “The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Connecticut exceeds 1,000, although it is believed to be higher because of people who either haven’t been tested or are awaiting results. Twenty-one people have died in the state.”
The UConn Health website describes Edgar this way:
Dr. Cory Edgar is an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at UConn Health. A team physician for Boston University athletics, he was recruited back after serving as assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Edgar was a former sports medicine fellow at the UConn and has a strong research and academic interest. Dr. Edgar has a Ph.D. in cellular and molecular biology and established research activities in bone biology, cartilage healing and applications of stem cells for tissue healing. He is an outstanding educator with many invited lectureships and national level courses that he teaches. He most recently won the AOSSM research award and is considered a rising star in the sports medicine community.
Dr. Edgar’s clinical interests and expertise include primary and revision ACL reconstructions, multi-ligament knee injuries, meniscal transplantation, patella dislocations and instability, complex shoulder instability with bone loss, revision rotator cuff surgery, AC joint injuries, pectoralis tendon ruptures, distal biceps ruptures, ankle instability and talus OCD lesions.
Dr. Edgar continues to devote himself to improving the field of orthopedics through research. A primary area of interest and expertise is the use of stem cells to enhance healing and graft incorporation in sports medicine. His research goal is to continue to explore and develop through a translational medical approach, the application of biologics and regenerative medicine to sports medicine issues.
Dr. Edgar is committed to education and patient care. His clinical interests, education, and experience enable him to care for patients with compassion and expertise.