Mumbai: Hinduja hospital tense after patient tests positive

Hospital employees at PD Hinduja Hospital in Mahim were seen wearing masks on Friday. Pic/ Atul Kamble

The PD Hinduja Hospital in Mahim had a tense Friday afternoon after a patient admitted there tested positive for Coronavirus.

mid-day visited the hospital and its adjoining premises and saw many people, including hospital staff, security guards, and relatives of patients, wearing masks or covering their mouth and nose with a handkerchief. Those who didn't have masks were seen hustling to procure one.

The 64-year-old man had returned to India on March 9 from Dubai. A relative of another patient who did not wish to be named said, "We heard that one of the patients in the hospital was tested positive for COVID-19. As a precautionary measure, we are wearing masks. It's better to take precautions and the hospital staff has also been very supportive."

A spokesperson of PD Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre said, "In spite of following all precautionary measures as per government guidelines, an admitted patient tested positive for COVID-19 last night. The hospital has been following the advice of civic authorities and the patient has been shifted to Kasturba Hospital."

Dr Daksha Shah, deputy executive health officer of the BMC said, "The staff and doctors who came in contact with the patient have been asked to self-isolate. Their test reports will be in on Saturday. Hinduja hospital has an infection control committee. All preventive measures as per the guidelines have been taken."

"There is a high risk of transmission to people who actively participated in the care of the patient. We are getting samples of everyone, including other patients, doctors, staff and relatives. Right now, we have 33 samples and their results are awaited," said Dr Jayanti Shastri who heads BMC's molecular diagnostic laboratory.

'Self-quarantine'

Dr Vinod Chandiramani, Chief of General Surgery, Hinduja Hospital stated, "some staff (nurses) at the hospital are in self-quarantine, purely as a precautionary measure. There is absolutely no chaos. Some elective surgeries (where patients had been told to report for surgery on a given date) have been postponed. It is smooth functioning though, and I had a full day of surgeries on Friday."

33
No. of people who came in contact with the patient and are being tested for COVID-19

Inputs by Prajakta Kasale, Hemal Ashar

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