Cop discharged without test, dies few hours later

A Mumbai Police head constable, who had tested positive for Covid-19, died on May 29, a day after he was discharged from the National Sports Club of India (NSCI)

A Mumbai Police head constable, who had tested positive for Covid-19, died on May 29, a day after he was discharged from the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) Covid care centre at Worli in Mumbai.

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The 53-year-old reported symptoms of cough and fever on May 16 and was admitted to the centre on May 18 after he was found to have been infected. He was discharged 10 days later on May 28 without being tested again as per the new guidelines issued by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The new norms, which were issued on May 8, allow for patients with mild symptoms, very-mild symptoms and those who have been pre-symptomatic to be discharged without additional testing, 10 days after the onset of symptoms, and with no fever for three days.

Also, patients with moderate symptoms can be discharged after 10 days of onset of symptoms if the symptoms resolve within three days and they maintain saturation above 95% for the next four days.

In the case of the head constable, who was dropped off near his home by an ambulance on May 28 night, he experienced breathing issues a few hours after being discharged and his condition deteriorated. He was rushed to BYL Nair Hospital where he died before admission on May 29.

Two days after his death, on Sunday, the constable’s 20-year-old son and 19-year-old daughter, too, tested positive for the virus. They have been admitted to SevenHills Hospital in Andheri.

Dr Neeta Varti, in-charge of the NSCI facility, said, “The constable was admitted with a cough and fever. We followed the discharge process as per the ICMR guidelines and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) discharge policy, which states that a patient can be discharged after 10 days without a test.”

Assistant municipal commissioner of G-South ward, Sharad Ughade, said, “It’s not in our hands. We follow the policy of the government.”

BMC commissioner Iqbal Chahal refused to comment on the issue.