CUTTACK: Suspected Covid-19 patients continue to flee from SCB Medical College and Hospital (MCH) due to a lack of adequate security, exposing others to the risk of contracting the deadly virus. Not only does police face a stiff challenge in tracing out the patients and bringing them back to the MCH but the entire process also increases their chances of being infected and spreading the virus.
In the latest instance, a father and son hailing from Jobra were tested positive after undergoing rapid antigen test at the MCH on Saturday. However, both fleD the hospital premises before being shifted to isolation ward.
Acting on the complaint of the hospital authorities, Mangalabag police traced and brought them back to the hospital on Sunday. Similarly, three days back, a patient from the city tested positive for the virus through rapid antigen test at the Casualty. However, he ran away from the Casualty in the late night prompting the hospital authorities to seek police help in tracing out the patient. Later, Lalbag police detected the patient and brought him back to the hospital.
According to the complaints lodged by the hospital authorities with the local police, at least seven persons who were tested positive for virus through rapid antigen test have fled away from SCB MCH in the last one week. Due to lapses in security arrangement at the different points of the MCH where rapid antigen tests are being conducted, patients flee out of fear after testing positive.
“The authorities concerned should immediately shift the patient testing positive to isolation ward. This will leave them with no chance of escaping from the hospital premises,” said senior doctor of the hospital requesting anonymity. The problem does not end here. Some patients while undergoing rapid antigen test are providing false address and mobile numbers as a result of which, both the hospital authorities as well as police face the tough task of tracing them out after they escape from the hospital. “Tracing the suspected patients is a challenge but what is risky is bringing them back to the hospital,” said a senior police officer.
New Nimasahi declared containment zone
Cuttack: A day after detection of 25 Covid-19 cases from New Nimasahi slum near Chauliaganj, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) on Monday declared the area containment zone. “As some positive cases have been detected from New Nimasahi in Ward no. 42 which is densely populated area, it requires detailed measures for active contact tracing. To facilitate this, it is necessary to make the area as a containment zone and to restrict public from entering into and going out of the containment zone,” the CMC tweeted. The civic body has also formed three teams, deputed officers to work as nodal officers and released their mobile phone numbers to ensure smooth supply of essentials and medical facilities in the containment zone.