COVID-19: One more doctor at AMU-affiliated hospital tests positive for COVID-19

A spokesperson of the medical college said the doctor who tested positive on Friday neither has a known history of any contact with a COVID-19 patient.
Police stop locals from moving out of a quarantine zone during the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus in Mathura Saturday April 25 2020. (Photo | PTI)
Police stop locals from moving out of a quarantine zone during the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus in Mathura Saturday April 25 2020. (Photo | PTI)

ALIGARH; Another junior doctor at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College hospital at the AMU here has tested positive for coronavirus, district health authorities said on Saturday.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Aligarh has now risen to eight, they said.

A spokesperson of the medical college said the doctor who tested positive on Friday neither has a known history of any contact with a COVID-19 patient nor was he connected to the isolation ward.

The doctor also has no travel history and investigations about how he contracted the infection were on.

Earlier this week another doctor of the JLN Medical College hospital, affiliated to the Aligarh Muslim University, had tested positive for coronavirus.

The spokesperson also said "none of the sixty-odd doctors and paramedics who were quarantined three days back after coming in contact with a coronavirus positive patient have tested positive.

They would, however, continue to remain in isolation".

Meanwhile, the Resident Doctors Association at the medical college has urged the District Magistrate to ensure that the names of the doctors who have been infected with COVID-19 should "not be flashed all over in media reports " to avoid stigmatisation and mental harassment.

The president of the RDA, Dr Hamza Malik, said the doctors are performing their duties on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus and revealing their names and identifying their family members was unethical and would "deter suspected cases from approaching health authorities".

On the other hand, nineteen people including 18 members of an extended family have tested positive for coronavirus in the Santkabirnagar district and have been admitted to hospital, a senior administrative officer said on Saturday.

A student of the Darul Uloom Deoband seminary who had come to the district last month had tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week.

His family members and close relatives were subsequently kept in quarantine and their samples were sent for testing, of which 18 have been found to be positive, District Magistrate Ravish Kumar Gupta said.

One person from Tilathi village in Bakhira police station area has also tested positive for the virus, Gupta said.

This patient had recently returned from Mumbai.

His sample was sent to Gorakhpur medical college and the report was received Saturday, the DM said, adding that his family members have been quarantined and their samples sent for testing.

The District Magistrate said with these new cases, the number of coronavirus positive patients in the district was now 21.

The areas from where these cases have been reported have been sealed off, he added.

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