Consultant surprised by Yulia Skripal's recovery after novichok poisoning inquiry reveals
A hospital consultant, Dr. Stephen Cockroft, expressed surprise when Yulia Skripal woke up four days after being poisoned with novichok. He initially believed she had suffered severe brain damage and was later restricted from discussing her case with colleagues.
Cockroft described how he tried to comfort Yulia, who was confused and scared. He was later removed from the intensive care rota for speaking to her about the incident, which he felt was a missed opportunity to share critical information about novichok symptoms.
The inquiry revealed that 87 people sought medical help after the Skripal poisonings. A toxicology expert noted that even a tiny amount of novichok can be fatal, and suggested that better training and information sharing could have improved responses to the subsequent poisoning of Dawn Sturgess.