30 hospital staffers quarantined in Chandigarh as patient under treatment for H1N1 tests coronavirus positive

Meanwhile, five more positive cases of coronavirus were reported from Chandigarh on Monday taking the number of cases in the city to 13, states the medical bulletin of Chandigarh Administration.
Municipal Corporation Chandigarh ( MCC) workers spray sanitizer on shops amid the rising cases of coronavirus, at the market in Sector 23. (File photo| ANI)
Municipal Corporation Chandigarh ( MCC) workers spray sanitizer on shops amid the rising cases of coronavirus, at the market in Sector 23. (File photo| ANI)

CHANDIGARH: As many as 30 doctors, nurses and paramedic staff of Postgrduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here have been quarantined after a 65-year-old patient admitted in the hospital was tested positive, which seems to be the first case of community spread of COVID-19.

Sources said the 65-year-old coronavirus positive patient is a native of Nayagoan in Mohali district of Punjab which is adjacent to Chandigarh. He had

earlier been admitted in the ward number 22 of the hospital after he was suspected of contracting HINI and then shifted to emergency ward of the hospital which also housed about 80 other patients. He was isolated after being tested positive.

A doctor on condition of anonymity said, "The doctors and paramedic staff has intubated him earlier as he was in respiratory distress. The doctors were not wearing proper hazard suits as they were not aware of him contracting the virus."

"Some doctors might have come in contact with him as he was hospitalised for last six days and he got critical two days ago. It was then his samples for both COVID and HINI were sent for testing," he added.

Confirming that 30 doctors, nurses and paramedic staff of PGIMER were quarantined, Dr Ashok Kumar said, "Thirty staffers of the hospital have been quarantined for period of 14 days. Five of them are doctors and rest nurses and paramedics. While a few are quarantined in the hospital, others have isolated themselves in their houses. We will keep a watch on them for any symptoms of coronavirus."

Deputy Commissioner of Mohali, Girish Dayalan said, "The patient was taken to the PGIMER in Chandigarh after he complained of chest pain and breathlessness. Now he has been tested positive. We are tracing all his contacts and send their samples for testing once found."

Meanwhile, five more positive cases of coronavirus were reported from Chandigarh on Monday taking the number of cases in the city to 13, states the medical bulletin of Chandigarh Administration.

Those who tested positive included an NRI couple who came from Canada, and three contacts of a 23-year-old youth who had recently tested positive. The three included the mother of the youth. All of them have been admitted to an isolation ward in GMCH-32.

The medical bulletin by the Punjab Government states that the state has 39 positive cases with two reported deaths so far. Of the 1,051 suspected cases in the state, 881 have tested negative while results of 131 are still awaited.

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