Race to trace contacts as Wockhardt doc infected

Health workers disinfect the Dharavi high-rise where the infected surgeon resides

Days after two nurses from Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai Central tested positive, a 35-year-old surgeon tested positive for Coronavirus on Thursday evening. While the general surgeon has been admitted to Raheja Hospital, civic officials have identified around 35 high-risk contacts and are testing them.

Civic officials stated that the surgeon lives in a high-rise in Dharavi which houses 300 residents and has three nursing homes.

"The surgeon was in Wockhardt Hospital on March 28 and 29. The building has been sealed and the residents will remain under quarantine. We are supplying food packets to all residents. There was one patient in one of the nursing homes who was later discharged and all three nursing homes have been shut down. Food, groceries and daily needs will be taken care of by the BMC until the high-risk contacts are tested," said Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner of G North ward.

Dighavkar added that the 35-year-old surgeon's family has eight members, including senior citizens. All have been tested and results are awaited. At the time of getting admitted, the doctor had said that he interacted with three other patients. They too are being tested.

It is suspected that the surgeon caught Coronavirus while treating a cardiac patient at Wockhardt Hospital. More contacts of the surgeon are being traced.

Earlier this week, two nurses from Wockhardt tested positive after coming in contact with a 73-year-old patient who had suffered a heart attack.

A source from the hospital said that the cardiac patient was initially asymptomatic and was later treated by the 35-year-old junior general surgeon.

"He underwent an angioplasty and in the next three days, he developed some urinary problems which were addressed by the 35-year-old surgeon. Two days later, he developed some respiratory problems and fever after which he tested positive," said the source. The hospital has shared a list of people who came in contact with the 73-year-old man with civic officials.

A source from the hospital said that this week, at least 10 nurses have tested positive, adding that most of them have a fever and are admitted at Wockhardt Hospital. Around 300 people, including staff members and patients, are being tested. Civic officials added that Wockhardt Hospital is closed to new admissions. Despite several messages and calls, the hospital administration was unavailable for comment.

10
No. of nurses at Wockhardt Hospital who tested positive

08
No. of members in the doctor's family

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