11 staff members test positive for COVID-19 at Government Rajindra Hospital

Karam Prakash
Tribune News Service
Patiala, June 17

Government Rajindra Hospital it seems is becoming a hotspot for coronavirus because 11 staff members — including a junior resident — tested positive on Wednesday evening.

The 11 staff members included five staff nurses, four ward attendants, a doctor, and a security guard, said Patiala health department.

Notably, two nurses at Rajindra Hospital had already tested positive for coronavirus.

All the staff members who got infected with the virus were from the emergency ward. 

Moreover, Rajindra Hospital has already shifted the patients of the emergency ward to another ward and the sanitisation of the emergency ward is on.

The patients at the emergency ward will also be tested for the virus to stem further spread of the virus at the hospital.   

A patient was from Sangrur with respiratory problem was admitted to the emergency ward. However, the patient was not isolated despite showing flu like illness. The patient later tested positive for coronavirus.

Dr Paras Pandove, Medical Superintendent, Rajindra Hospital, said that steps were being taken to stave off the spread of the virus at the hospital further.

He said, “We are tracing the contacts of the staff members — who tested positive — to stop the spread. Patients at the emergency ward have already been shifted to another ward.”

Meanwhile, it has been learned that disregard of social distancing was the main reason of spread among the staff. 

The sources informed that nurses, who tested positive, were reportedly, even, sharing the meal with each other during the break.

The health department informed that it was a serious concern as the spread of the virus now looms large at the hospital.

Notably, Rajindra Hospital is the first tertiary health institution where such as a large number of staff has been infected.

Dr Sumeet Singh, district epidemiologist, said all the staff members have been shifted to the isolation ward of the hospital.

He informed that they have given recommendations to the hospital authorities.

“Ward has been closed for 48 hours while all the patients in the ward will be tested for the coronavirus,” said Sumeet.