Another nurse tests Covid positive at Hindu Rao Hospital

In Thursday’s case, the nurse was tested as part of a group of 76 healthcare workers — including doctors and ward staff — who had come in close contact with another nurse who tested Covid positive last Saturday. The 980-bedded super specialty hospital had to be closed for a day after this.

A second nurse working at North Delhi Municipal Corporation’s Hindu Rao Hospital in Malka Ganj tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday.

Doctors have alleged negligence in the case of this nurse saying she had already reported high fever to the hospital authorities a week before her test results came positive, but was still asked to report for duty daily. (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

In Thursday’s case, the nurse was tested as part of a group of 76 healthcare workers — including doctors and ward staff — who had come in close contact with another nurse who tested Covid positive last Saturday. The 980-bedded super specialty hospital had to be closed for a day after this.

“We have received test reports of 34 of these 76 healthcare workers so far. All have tested negative except for this one nurse, who was a primary contact with the nurse who tested positive last Saturday.. She was sent on quarantine from Monday immediately after her sample was taken,” \north body spokesperson, Ira Singhal, said.

Doctors have alleged negligence in the case of this nurse saying she had already reported high fever to the hospital authorities a week before her test results came positive, but was still asked to report for duty daily. The north corporation later said it had launched an enquiry in the matter.

In the case of a young gynaecologist, who tested Covid-positive at the corporation’s Kasturba Hospital on Wednesday, similar allegations were made. This hospital is near Jama Masjid.

A doctor working with the hospital, who didn’t wish to be named, said, “It was extremely negligent on the part of the department head. The gynae who tested positive had come to the hospital five days before she tested positive. She was running a high fever and her condition was so bad that she was unable to move and had to sleep in the delivery room.”

“She was asked to go home later, but not tested for Covid immediately. Isn’t it the administration’s duty to get healthcare workers checked if they are unwell? She was tested only once she came back to duty but still had some symptoms. In the meantime, other doctors kept visiting her room routinely,” he said.

Singhal said no doctor had come forth to them and reported such a lapse. “No such thing has come to our notice. If anyone has any specific issue, they need to tell us and we will resolve it. Sanitization is anyway being done there thrice in a day.”