By ARUN PRATAP SINGH
DEHRADUN, 26 Apr: Three more corona infected cases have been reported in Uttarakhand. Though two of the positive reports were received late last night, the information was made public this morning. On the other hand, one positive report was received late tonight.
One of the COVID-19 (Corona) positive cases is a nursing officer at AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) in Rishikesh. He works in the Urology Department of the Medical Institute. The information was confirmed today by DG, Health, Dr Amita Upreti. The other case is of a woman who is resident of Azad Colony and has a Tablighi Jamat connection.
The pertinent question is how the AIIMS nursing officer got infected. Presently, there is no Corona patient at AIIMS Rishikesh. It is not even a designated hospital for Corona patients in the state. However, a pathology laboratory of AIIMS had some days ago begun testing Corona swab samples for possible infection. But this nursing officer was posted in the Urology department of the hospital which had no connection with this pathology laboratory.
It has become imperative now to track the course of this case. The contact tracing in his respect has become necessary. This will require a survey of all the persons with whom he might have come in contact with in the past few days and their testing would have to be done in order to prevent possible further spread of the virus. Not only this, extensive survey and screening of the residents of the colony he resides in, Bapugram Colony, is also now brought under containment zone. Not only this, now a wide survey and screening and wherever necessary testings need to be carried out in the colony. This is a really worrisome development that has necessitated prompt proactive action on the part of the authorities at all levels in order to prevent possible spread of Corona in Rishikesh, even if it requires sealing or containment of Bapugram Colony.
Meanwhile, a Corona positive report was also received regarding a woman already admitted in Doon Medical College Hospital for delivery. This lady was admitted to Doon Medical College because she was resident of Azad Colony, presently a containment zone. She has a Tablighi Jamaat connection and is a resident of Azad Colony, which is already under containment. Late tonight, not only her but her husband was also reported to be Corona positive. His report was received late tonight. With these three cases, the total number of Corona positive cases in Uttarakhand has now gone up to 51. One of the positive reports was tested at AIIMS Rishikesh and the other at the newly set up Virology laboratory at Doon Medical College. As per the reports, out of these 51 cases, 26 have already recovered and have been discharged, while 24 are still active. So far, 4660 sample reports have been received in the state and, of them, 51 have tested positive while the remaining 4609 have tested negative.
As many as 25 samples were sent from Dehradun for testing, while 36 reports were received today.
