Recovered Kasturba staffer gets a warm welcome in her society

The first two medical staffers at Kasturba Gandhi Hospital who contracted Covid-19 through cross-transmission got discharged on Sunday. Almost 200 medical staffers

The first two medical staffers at Kasturba Gandhi Hospital who contracted Covid-19 through cross-transmission got discharged on Sunday. Almost 200 medical staffers across the city have tested positive for Covid-19 so far.

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In the first week of April, a 40-year-old midwife stationed at the isolation ward got diagnosed with the infection. Soon after, another class IV employee, who worked as a sweeper in the same ward, contracted the infection. After both of them tested negative on two consecutive tests, they were discharged on Sunday.

Neighbours welcomed the midwife back home by showering her with flowers while some blew conch or rang bells to laud her for her service. Talking to HT, the woman said, “I was really overwhelmed with the response. I am thankful that people didn’t stigmatise me.”

She said upon learning that she was given duty at the Covid ward of the hospital, she insisted that her husband and son move to their hometown to avoid any possible chance of infection. “I knew it was my duty, but I didn’t want to expose my family to it so I forced them to go,” she said.

Meanwhile, a 40-year-old ward boy stationed at the out-patient department (OPD) has been quarantined at the hospital after developing symptoms such as cough and fever. “We have taken his swab sample and sent it for testing. We will get the report by Monday,” said a doctor from the hospital.