An unvaccinated Covid patient being kept alive on a ventilator has been transferred over 1,000 miles after a hospital allegedly threatened to pull the plug.
Scott Quiner's wife Anne was able to obtain a restraining order barring doctors from switching the machine off and allow him to be shipped from Minnesota to Texas, US, according to reports.
The 55-year-old dad was admitted to Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, on October 31 last year after contracting the virus.
It is understood he was scheduled to have his ventilator switched off last Thursday (January 13) after suffering lung failure, it has been reported.
But the order, from Anoka County Court, allowed him to remain on the ventilator despite hospital operator Allina Health allegedly informing Anne there was no hope for her husband and it needed to remove the support.
In a petition, she wrote dad-of-three Scott "will die" without a judge ruling in her favour, reports the New York Post.
"I have advised the doctors that I vehemently disagree with this action and do not want my husband’s ventilator turned off," Anne stated, according to court papers.
She received the order from Judge Jennifer Stanfield, who set a hearing for February 11, and Scott was flown to a Texas hospital over the weekend, according to the family lawyer Marjorie Holsten.
"Scott is now in a hospital in Texas getting critical care," the lawyer said.
"The doctor said Scott was the most undernourished patient he has ever seen."
She added tests showed all of his organs were working except his lungs.
The last update I got was yesterday afternoon after some tests had been run. All organs are working except his lungs,” she added.
Tens of thousands of dollars have been raised through online fundraisers to pay for his care in recent days.
By Sunday night, Scott was said to be improving and was being slowly weaned off heavy sedatives.
Ms Holsten said there are protocols "that should be used that hospitals have not been using", adding she was "hoping changes are going to be made" as a result of the case.
Allina Health said it was "grateful" Scott's family was able to find a care facility to "meet their needs", but would not address allegations of malnourishment due to privacy laws.
It added it has "great confidence" in the care provided to its patients by its "talented and compassionate" medical teams.
