Alleging lack of facilities, 2 BMC staffers flee quarantine

Two employees of the Mumbai civic

body who were quarantined at a civic hospital ran away from the facility blaming inadequate services and food on Sunday, an official said.

He said the duo were put into quarantine at V N Desai Municipal Hospital in suburban Santacruz after they came into contact with a person, who later died of COVID-19.

"The two employees have run away claiming that they were not getting enough food and other facilities," he said.

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar said she would look into the issue.

The mayor visited the hospital on Sunday afternoon, a day after staffers held a protest lleging lack of sufficient equipment, material and food.

 

"The entire staff in the hospital on Saturday suspended the work over the issue. They resumed work only after getting an assurance from officials of the BMC," said a staff member.

Meanwhile, Pednekar said at least 17 staffers were suspected to have exposed to the patient who died due to coronavirus.

At present, none of them have shown any symptoms and have been put under quarantine for 14 days beginning Friday.

When asked about the two staffers fleeing the hospital, she said the BMC is hopeful of tracing them.

With 29 fresh cases on Sunday, Mumbai's COVID-19 count now stands at 406.