After 2 doctors test positive for Covid-19, KEM hostel with 55 docs inside is sealed

Days after two resident doctors from King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, Parel, got diagnosed with Covid-19, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday

Days after two resident doctors from King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital, Parel, got diagnosed with Covid-19, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday sealed one of the four hostels of the medical college at Prabhadevi where the doctors stayed.

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As many as 55 resident doctors have been confined to the sealed Anand Niketan hostel.

On April 12, two resident doctors from the hospital tested positive for the coronavirus.

One of the doctors from the community medicine department was stationed at Kasturba Gandhi Hospital. Ten doctors from the hostel who were in close contact with the duo have also been quarantined.

The other Covid-19-positive doctor from the pathology department was working in the casualty ward of KEM Hospital. The dean of the hospital did not comment on the delay in sealing the hostel.

The letter of the order available with HT, read, “Resident medical officers from various departments staying in the building will not be able to attend their duties till the building remains sealed.” The letter dated April 15 was issued by Dr Gajanan D Velhal, head of KEM Hospital’s community medicine department.

Resident medical students at the hostel have raised concerns about it.

“There is a need for doctors during the ongoing pandemic, so the authority cannot just lockdown 55 doctors,” said a doctor from the hostel.

The doctors also alleged that there are inadequate disinfection facilities at the hostels and the hospital.

In Mumbai, the number of cross-transmissions of the infection among hospital staffers has reached almost 150 cases.

Talking to HT, Dr Hemant Deshmukh, dean of KEM Hospital said, “This is according to the rules of the state government and we have to follow the 14 days of home quarantine. We can’t risk other doctors and patients.”