7% staffers at Chandigarh PGIMER currently infected with Covid

Of the around 13,000 employees at Chandigarh PGIMER, 857, including 324 doctors, are still infected with Covid and isolated either at home or at the institute’s isolation centre

As many as 382 more healthcare workers were found infected with Covid-19 at PGIMER in the past three days, taking the proportion of active cases among the hospital employees to 7%.

Since December 20, a total of 1,209 healthcare workers, including 481 doctors, have been found Covid-positive at PGIMER, Chandigarh. (HT Photo)

Of the 382 healthcare workers, 126 (32%) are doctors, including junior residents, senior residents and faculty members.

Around 13,000 people, including doctors (students and faculty members), healthcare workers (nurses, sanitation staff, lab operators, etc) and clerks are employed at PGIMER. Of them 857, including 324 doctors, are still infected and isolated either at home or at the institute’s isolation centre.

Since December 20, a total of 1,209 healthcare workers, including 481 doctors, have been found Covid-positive at the institute.

While on January 1, nine staffers tested positive, the number rose to 195 – a 22-fold spike – on January 10. Since then, though the number decreased to 91 as of January 13, it is still a cause of concern for the hospital authorities.

Between January 1 and 10, PGIMER, Chandigarh, saw a 22-fold spike in Covid cases among its employees. (HT)

95% infected employees fully vaccinated

PGIMER officiating director Dr Surjit Singh said as 95% of the infected employees were fully vaccinated, most developed only mild symptoms. “So far, three persons, a faculty member from the hematology department, a resident doctor and a para-medical worker, have required hospitalisation due to other medical conditions. Two of them have been discharged and the condition of the faculty member is stable. No fatality has been recorded,” Dr Singh added.

He further said the infected workers were re-joining duty on the eight day of testing positive, as the staff was limited to cater to the hospital’s overall patient load and no contractual staff had been hired for the current Covid situation.