Pune: 23 hospital staffers put in home quarantine after ICU patient tests positive

The patient, who works at a toll plaza, had been brought to the hospital last week after suffering an accident, and was admitted to the ICU. He was also having breathing difficulties, because of which he was later shifted to Sahyadri hospital, which has better facilities.

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Following the test, the people who had come in contact with the patient, including the hospital staff, were informed by the authorities. (File)

Written by Alifiya Nalwala

Twenty three employees of a hospital in Wagholi area of the city have been put in home quarantine after a patient who was admitted to the ICU a few days earlier tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) later.

The patient, who works at a toll plaza, had been brought to the hospital last week after suffering an accident, and was admitted to the ICU. He was also having breathing difficulties, because of which he was later shifted to Sahyadri hospital, which has better facilities. It is at Sahyadri that the person was screened for COVID-19 and tested positive.

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Following the test, the people who had come in contact with the patient, including the hospital staff, were informed by the authorities. The doctor treating him at the Wagholi hospital tested negative, but as per government protocol, every potential contact at the hospital, including another patient at the ICU and their families, were advised home quarantine.

“Today is day 4 of my quarantine. But I could have still run the hospital had it not been for the rumours on social media and harassment of some of my staff. Many of the housing societies where they live started giving them trouble and staffers returned to their hometowns. In fact, some staff is living at the hospital which I have now kept shut till this issue settles down. We have nothing to hide, we were doing our duty,” said orthopaedic surgeon Dr Shankar Wavre, owner of the Lifeline Hospital in Wagholi.

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