KOCHI: In a sign that the virus has breached all barriers despite the best of precautions, instances of patients undergoing treatment for other ailments at private hospitals contracting Covid-19 have been reported from across Kerala.
As the situation worsens, patients admitted for treating diseases such as cancer, kidney disease, and heart complications have died after being infected with the virus. The death of a 61-year old cancer patient, who was rushed to Government Medical College Hospital, Kalamassery, from Lakeshore Hospital in Kochi on Sunday after testing COVID positive, has jolted the health department.
With a number of nurses and doctors in private hospitals testing positive for COVID daily, chances of patients contracting the virus from the hospitals themselves cannot be ruled out, opine experts. With over 400 healthcare workers having been infected with Covid-19 in the state so far, the situation is precarious. There could also be instances of non-COVID patients getting the disease from asymptomatic patients from hospitals and other healthcare centres.
Since July 16, 10 cases of patients getting infected with SARS-CoV-2 while under treatment for other diseases have been reported in Ernakulam alone. Similar instances were also reported in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Kozhikode leading to departments getting shut down temporarily.
“If healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses, who directly deal with the admitted patients in their respective departments get infected, the entire hospital, including all patients, are at a huge risk. Another possibility of infection is from other patients. Non-COVID hospitals are always at risk. Maintaining social distancing and treating everyone as a likely COVID patient are the only solution. This rule applies even among the medical staff,” said Monu Varghese, a pulmonologist in Kochi.
Sadanandan, 60, a native of Vilakkottur in Kannur, died at Government MCH, Pariyaram, while undergoing treatment for cancer and heart-related problems on July 21. His swab results tested positive after his death. Similarly, a 79-year-old woman admitted to Rajagiri Hospital in Aluva with kidney ailments expired on July 20. Her swab samples also tested positive for COVID.
The Department of General Medicine and Cardiology was shut at the General Hospital, Ernakulam, after doctors and staff tested positive on July 8. The outpatient wing of the Gynaecology Department at the MCH, Kottayam, was shut after two doctors and five patients tested positive on Sunday.
“It is difficult for patients with comorbidities to fight COVID-19, especially those with high blood pressure and other serious ailments. It is a very unfortunate situation,” said a health official.