Pvt hospital shut, 20 staff members at Lucknow's KGMU quarantined after patient tests positive

A private hospital and a diagnostic centre were ordered shut and 20 staff members at government-run KGMU here quarantined after coming in contact with a coronavirus patient, officials said on Tuesday.

The quarantined doctors and paramedics at King George's Medical University tested negative for the virus, a hospital statement said.

The staff members at the two private facilities have also been asked to home quarantine themselves.

Initially, KGMU sources said 65 staff members 13 of them doctors -- were asked to go into quarantine. However, the hospital later said only the 20 who came in direct contact with the 65-year-old patient are in quarantine.

 

Now only these 20 people have been kept in quarantine. Rest 45 who were not in direct contact have been discharged," the statement, issued later in the day, said.

The diabetes patient visited Lucknow's Medwell Hospital, complaining of fever and cough, over a week ago. He was told to get an X-ray done, for which he went to Charak Diagnostic Centre.

As the man's condition deteriorated and he complained of breathlessness, he was brought to the KGMU trauma centre on Saturday. He then came under the treatment of the hospital's neurology department.

Later, he tested positive for coronavirus and was sent to the isolation ward.

Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad said the KGMU staff members had tested negative but will remain in quarantine as a precautionary measure.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Narendra Agarwal on Monday wrote to the private hospital and the diagnostic centre, asking them to shut all operations.

He also asked them to provide a full list of their staff members who attended to the patient, so that they can be tested.

"Ensure that all staff of the centre be kept in home quarantine for 14 days," the letter read.