PUDUCHERRY: JIPMER has quarantined 44 healthcare workers with high risk exposure to a cancer patient who tested positive for COVID-19 along with two others accompanying her on Friday.
According to the JIPMER bulletin on Saturday, 40 others have been identified as having a low-risk exposure and are under close observation and self-monitoring. Also, 22 other patients in the female medical ward where the cancer patient was admitted for treatment of gastrointestinal problems are being watched as per protocol.
The cancer patient and the two who accompanied her remain in the isolation ward of the COVID-19 block of JIPMER. As per the national protocol, contact tracing was initiated and contacts have been categorized based on their degree of exposure as high and low risk.
All healthcare workers in the high risk category will be tested as per national guidelines. Initial testing for six of them has been negative, but they will be tested again.
To prevent COVID-19 infections among non-COVID patients, JIPMER had 127 tele-consultations on May 1, besides 461 emergency outpatient visits, 8 emergency surgeries and 15 high risk deliveries. The hospital had 652 inpatients. All emergencies are being managed and emergency inpatient services in all the departments are functional.
Necessary steps have been taken to ensure outpatient care by telephone consultation in all specialties through the telephone number 0413-2298200.