Gurugram: Four health workers test positive; admin says they weren’t handling Covid-19 cases

Four health workers of a private hospital tested positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease on Saturday, taking the district tally to 51. Health officials said

Four health workers of a private hospital tested positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease on Saturday, taking the district tally to 51. Health officials said the patients are residents of sectors 31 and 39.

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“The patients are in their 20s and are employed as health staff at a private hospital -- three junior nurses and a man who transports patients. They all are asymptomatic,” said a senior health official of the district’s rapid response team. Officials familiar with the matter said these health workers were not involved in the treatment of Sars-Cov-2 patients.

“We have been directed to increase surveillance and testing in Sector 39 and villages around the hospital as cases are being reported from the sector and the adjoining Jharsa village more frequently. A van given to the health department by an online pharmacy company will be stationed at Jharsa from Sunday to increase sampling in the area,” said the official, wishing not to be named.

In the past week, at least seven cases have been reported from Sector 39 and Jharsa. A large number of health workers stay in the high population density area. At least cases were reported from Jharsa village this week. On April 10, Sector 39 was declared a containment zone after three positive cases surfaced. More than 10,000 people live in Jharsa while about 50,000 live in Sector 39.

Of the 51 Covid-19 cases reported in the city, 35 have recovered while 16 are undergoing treatment. More than 10,000 people have been put on surveillance to date, of which more than 7,400 have finished their quarantine period of 14 days while 226 have been quarantined at government health facilities. The health team on Saturday collected 273 samples from the civil hospital and different containment zones.