Two healthcare staffers at the communicable disease ward of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), where suspected Covid-19 patients are admitted, tested positive for the disease on Friday evening.
Confirming the development, the institute’s official spokesperson, Dr Ashok Kumar, said on Friday night that both workers, a 50-year-old sanitary attendant from Dhanas here and a 30-year-old hospital attendant from Nayagon, Mohali, were asymptomatic.
With this, the Covid-19 count in Chandigarh went up to 22 and in Mohali to 58.
“Their samples were randomly tested after they worked at the hospital for a week and were to go back home,” Dr Kumar said
Eleven other healthcare workers have been quarantined as a result.
Criticising the administration for what he said was “carelessness”, Ashwani Munjal, president, of PGIMER Employees Union (non-faculty) said they had asked the authorities on March 31 to provide safety gear to every employee.
Dr Kumar said any lapses on the part of the hospital would be investigated.