BENGALURU: The outpatient department of the Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Trauma and Orthopaedics has been closed down temporarily after 17 staff tested positive for COVID-19. This is despite the hospital not treating coronavirus patients.
Dr H S Chandrashekar, director of the hospital said, "Five doctors and 12 paramedical staff including ward boys, nurses, technicians, group D workers tested positive on Tuesday evening after which we have closed the OPD but our emergency services are still open as we are the only trauma care government hospital in the city."
"While the doctors have been isolated at home on account of being asymptomatic, the paramedic staff, owing to constraints in their accommodation, have been isolated in a separate wing within the
hospital itself," he said, further adding that he is not aware how they got infected as they have been given PPE kits and N95 masks. The medicos undergo thermal screening and are given prophylaxis
medicine as well. The wards and operation theatres where they worked have been sanitized and sealed down.
On Monday, seven nurses tested positive for COVID-19 in Victoria Hospital. There have been reports in the past of health and sanitation workers testing positive in NIMHANS and Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research.
On Tuesday, a circular was issued for a duty roster of health care workers to ensure their safety while also ensuring continuous health care services in COVID care centres.
It stated that doctors, nurses, paramedics and other support staff have to work eight-hour shifts for 10 days followed by four days off. At the end of 10 days, they must compulsorily undergo a point of care rapid antigen test.