BENGALURU: Eleven patients and two staffers at Spandana Health Care tested positive for COVID-19 after a psychiatrist working there contracted the virus from her mother-in-law who was a Kumbh Mela returnee. Eighteen people tested positive in the doctor's family. While everyone in the hospital, including patients and staffers, has recovered, the incident has prompted it to open a 40-bed section for COVID-19 patients.
"The doctor came to work only for a day. As her mother-in-law developed symptoms of cough and fever, they both isolated themselves and got tested, turning positive thereafter. In a matter of one day, the virus spread fast. 250 patients in our hospital were screened for COVID and some tested positive. It became a cluster and the BBMP visited as well," said Dr Mahesh Gowda, director of Spandana Health Care. The other two staffers who tested positive include a psychiatrist and an admin worker.
The hospital cordoned off one floor and treated all the patients and staff. The doctor herself was admitted for 3-4 days and then went into home isolation. After this, a COVID centre was started on one floor, separate from the 200-bed centre treating psychiatric patients. The COVID section includes all the medical requirements for treatment including non-invasive ventilation and oxygen.
"Contact tracing is important. People should not hesitate to come to doctors and nurses if they experience even the slightest of symptoms," Dr Gowda said.