19-YEAR-OLD GIRL RAPED BY PARAMEDIC AFTER TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

A 19-year-old girl in India was allegedly raped by an ambulance driver on her way to hospital after testing positive for Covid-19.

She stated that after being tested positive for the Covid-19 virus, she was attacked by the man in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, India, on Saturday night.

The 19-year-old told hospital staff upon her arrival at the hospital in Pandalam, that she was assaulted by the man who she claimed was known as V Noufal, 29.  

Health Minister, KK Shailaja, described the attack as "shocking" and "inhuman". A health department official also confirmed that patients from a particular locality are usually picked up together and taken to hospital.

"The driver's chamber is partitioned and no other staff or nurse accompanies the driver while ferrying patients to hospital. This is to limit the exposure of health workers to infected persons. In rare cases, if the patient is serious, we send a nurse. In this case, both patients were stable," the official stated.

It was also confirmed that the accused, Noufal, was arrested on Sunday. Police also confirmed that he had not obtained the mandatory clearance certificate before joining as a driver of an ambulance.

Noufal is believed to be a habitual offender. He also has several criminal cases against him.

After the victim as well as a 42-year-old woman tested positive, Noufal was assigned to pick them both up at Adoor government general hospital.

He first dropped of the 42-year-old woman at a Covid centre in Aranmula. Thereafter, he drove the 19-year-old victim to Firstline Covid Treatment Centre in Pandalam.

Police confirmed that the driver took her to a secluded area on their way to the Centre where he removed his PPE and raped the girl at around 10pm Saturday night.

He reportedly threatened the girl to stay silent about the events after he apologised to her for the attack.

Image: AFP/Getty