TIRUCHY: Confusion prevailed at the MGMGH after the test results of two COVID suspects got interchanged because the patients had the same name. On April 26, a pregnant woman from Thiruppainjeeli had come for her antenatal check up at MGMGH. She asked the doctors to take a swab test as she had a cough. According to sources, doctors did a check-up, prescribed antibiotics and asked her to come back on April 29 for a test, if she still had cough. In the meantime, a sample of another woman with the same name from Uraiyur in Tiruchy had been taken and this sample tested negative for COVID-19.
When the woman from Thiruppainjeeli came back and approached the doctors, hearing the same name, they mistakenly handed the report of the Uraiyur woman to her. "The Thiruppainjeeli woman was reportedly under the false impression that she was already tested and thus the report was handed to her and she went home," said hospital sources. The confusion came to light when the Uraiyur woman came to collect the report on April 30 and she was informed her report had already been handed over. The Uraiyur woman has brought the issue to the attention of hospital authorities. Following this, the woman from Thiruppainjeeli was called to the hospital and a sample was taken on Friday. MGMGH Dean Dr Vanitha said the mistake occurred due to similar names.