Five COVID-19 cases traced to dialysis ward of Delhi’s Moolchand hospital

Dialysis services at the hospital have, meanwhile, been stopped since April 8.

The hospital has quarantined over 20 of its staff members, including nephrologists and technicians who were on duty during the period.

According to sources, the first confirmed case was reported from the hospital on April 4.

A spokesperson from Moolchand Hospital said: “Staff completed their quarantine period on Saturday, but we will wait for the final orders from the district administration on starting services again. We have been following proper protocol while dealing with all patients visiting the hospital. But in many cases, the patients are asymptomatic and it is not possible to identify if they are developing any symptoms for COVID-19.”

DCP (Southeast) R P Meena said police had traced 100 people who visited the hospital in the last week of March, and asked them to ensure home quarantine.

Among those who have tested positive is a nurse from Moolchand, with authorities saying her contacts are also being traced. “The first incident came to light when a resident of Nizamuddin Basti, who visited the hospital for dialysis, tested positive. The nurse, who stayed at a hostel inside the hospital, tested positive on April 4,” said an officer. The Nizamuddin area is already a containment zone.

Apart from the Safdarjung, R K Puram and Nizamuddin patients, officials have traced a case to Lajpat Nagar-I. It was on April 8 that the RWA informed police that a 45-year-old bedridden kidney patient in their area had tested positive.

“Officials found he too used to get dialysis at the hospital regularly. He visited the hospital on March 31, April 2 and 4, but the department was closed afterwards. He was shifted to a hospital once he tested positive, and died during treatment,” an officer said.

Eight people who came in contact with him have been told to go for home quarantine. No sealing orders have been declared in the area so far.