PATNA: Sixteen doctors, junior doctors and interns of the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) in Patna were among 281 people found infected with Covid-19 in Bihar in the last 24 hours on Sunday, January 2, 2022. Earlier, two doctors and a health worker of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna were found positive.
With 281 fresh cases, the total number of active cases of Covid-19 infection in the state has risen to 749. Of them, Patna and Gaya contributed 136 and 70 cases alone.
Three people who had returned from the USA, UK and Netherlands have also been found positive. Their samples have been sent to Delhi for genome sequencing.
Principal of NMCH in Patna, Dr. Heeralal Mahto, said the junior doctors who have been tested positive for Covid-19 infection at the health facility had attended a meeting of the Indian Medical Association held in Patna recently. The samples of 10 infected junior doctors have been sent to a microbiology lab for testing.
Superintendent of NMCH, Dr. Vinod Kumar Singh, said a total of 75 doctors, junior doctors and health workers had undergone emergency anti-gen tests on Saturday. Of them, 16 were found to be positive.
Hostel in-charge Dr. Sanjay Kumar said the infected junior doctors have been kept in isolation at the Mother and Child Care Ward of the hospital.
The health department has swung into action and has started the process to convert Patliputra Ashok Hotel and Patliputra Sports Complex into isolation centres in view of the rising number of positive cases in the state.
While Patliputra Ashok hotel will have 152-beds with oxygen, Paliputra Sports Complex will have 112 beds.
Patna and Gaya have emerged as hotspots for the deadly Covid-19 infection. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar assessed the situation at a high-level meeting on Friday. Health Minister Mangal Pandey said the government is cautious and is taking all possible measures to check the spread of the virus.
“The situation is under control,” the health minister said.