Melbourne man who was confined to room and used bucket as a toilet highlights challenges for some Covid patients

A man who was confined to his room at his Melbourne sharehouse and forced to go to the toilet in a bucket after being diagnosed with Covid has prompted calls for better awareness of support available for people isolating during the pandemic.

Melbourne man Qas Ansari, 37, said he was worried he would pass Covid onto his three housemates, so they sealed off his room using plastic sheeting, building an airlock over his door, and for two days he used a bucket for a toilet and did not shower.

At the end of the day, he would put the bucket he used as a toilet in the airlock, and his housemates would take it away.

Ansari is double vaccinated but suffered serious Covid symptoms, including a high fever.

Around 35,000 Covid-positive people have been referred this year to cohealth which serves north-west Melbourne.

She said the rise in the number of Covid cases had increased demand.

Luke Atkin, who works as part of the Covid positive pathways program, said isolating was difficult for many people.

Ansari finished his isolation period this week but still has a persistent cough so is waiting to go back to work.