Ghaziabad: Another resident doctor from Max Hospital-Vaishali tests positive for Coronavirus

Another oncologist of Max Hospital, Vaishali, has tested positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease, after his colleague from the same department had tested

Another oncologist of Max Hospital, Vaishali, has tested positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19) disease, after his colleague from the same department had tested positive on April 14, said officials of the health department.

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The tally of Covid-19 cases in Ghaziabad is now 29.

“After the first oncologist had tested positive on April 14, we had ordered comprehensive sanitisation of the hospital. We had also asked the hospital authorities to provide us with a list of patients which had been attended by the first doctor during the past 14 days in the department. The help of electronic surveillance will also be taken to trace the contacts,” said Dr NK Gupta, chief medical officer of Ghaziabad district.

“The test report of the second resident doctor was received Friday. He probably came in contact with the first oncologist. We are trying to trace his contacts as well. The 90 samples of the probable contacts of the first doctor were also received and they were all negative. The tests were conducted by the hospital and reports were sent to us. The test reports of seven of his primary contacts are awaited. The source of infection of the first doctor is yet to be ascertained,” the CMO added.

District magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey did not take calls despite repeated attempts.

Till Thursday, at least 15 areas in Ghaziabad were listed as hot spots which included one of the residential pockets of Gyan Khand in Indirapuram where the first doctor lives.

“Since the second doctor has tested positive and he lives in Vaishali Sector 1, the area will now be sealed. We are waiting for written formalities from the health department. The hospital will not be sealed. We are issuing directions to hospital authorities to take up extensive sanitisation and also conduct tests of their staff members. The area where doctors used to sit for duty will also be asked to shut down for three days and extensive sanitisation of the department where the doctors were working will be taken up. The renewed directions will be sent soon,” said Aditya Prajapati, sub divisional magistrate.

Meanwhile, a company spokesperson said that Max Healthcare has recently commenced testing all of its 24,000 healthcare workers, in-patients and new admissions for Covid-19 in all network hospitals.

“A second resident doctor working at Max Hospital, Vaishali has tested Covid-19 positive today (April 17). He was in close contact with the resident doctor who had tested positive on April 14, working at the hospital. Both our doctors have been shifted to Max Hospital, Saket, east-wing, and are stable and asymptomatic. Local authorities have been informed as per protocols to conduct contact tracing,” the spokesperson added.

“Meanwhile, the 90 samples collected from patients this week at the hospital have so far tested negative. Health care workers who were contact traced have been asked to home quarantine,” the spokesperson added.

They added that all routine precautions such as disinfection, as per internal statements of purposes, are being taken up in all the areas of the hospital.

“The primary area of movement of the resident doctor (who tested positive on April 14th) was the operation theatre (OT). The OT complex has been disinfected and closed for 72 hours. All close contacts have been asked to do home quarantine and their samples have been collected today (April 17). They have been asked to report to the flu clinic of the hospital in case of any symptoms to them or their family members,” the spokesperson added.

Out of the total of 29 in Ghaziabad till Friday evening, seven patients have already been discharged from different hospitals. However, 672 reports are yet to arrive, according to the health department officials.

The state health department officials said that the total number of positive cases in the state stood at 846, reported from 46 districts. Out of these, 74 patients were discharged from different hospitals.

They added that the number of hot spots in Uttar Pradesh have also risen to 279 till Friday evening, which have a total population of about 24 lakh.

“At least 58 samples from different districts like Lucknow, Gonda, Bareilly, Hardoi, Shahjahanpur, Agra and Pilibhit were taken for pool testing on Thursday. Three pool samples came out positive while 55 other pool samples were found negative. We will soon be introducing the pool sampling in other districts as well,” said Amit Mohan Prasad, UP’s principal secretary (health).

In connection with the violation of lockdown norms, officials said that Uttar Pradesh police have so far registered 20,453 first information reports in which 1,62,811 persons were booked.