As the caseload of COVID-19 cases is gradually increasing in India, some healthcare workers have also caught the virus, with several hospitals in the national capital Delhi becoming infection hotspots.
Top of the list is Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in northwest Delhi, a dedicated facility for treatment of COVID-19 patients; 27 members of staff were found positive for coronavirus, including seven doctors, 11 nurses, two technical staff and eight sanitation workers.
Earlier, medical services in another state-run hospital were closed after 44 staff members, including doctors, tested positive for COVID-19.
“Total 44 staff members including doctors at Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital in Jahangirpuri area of Delhi have tested positive for COVID-19. Test reports of other staff members are awaited. Hospital’s medical services have been closed and the hospital is being sanitized,” said Delhi Health Department on Saturday 25 April.
Similarly, 26 healthcare workers at Delhi State Cancer Institute have caught the virus, prompting it to be shut down for over two weeks to ensure that patients were not infected.
A total of 33 staff at a private hospital in east Delhi also tested positive for COVID-19.
“As part of our ongoing routine COVID testing for all healthcare workers, admitted patients and new admissions, a total of 33 healthcare workers have tested positive. This includes two doctors, 23 nurses and eight support staff,” said officials of Max Super Speciality Hospital.
Meanwhile, the Medical Director of the state-government run Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in east Delhi has advised its heads of departments to “look into the various problems, if any, experienced by the staff put on COVID-19 duty.”
In an order issued last week, the Medical Director said "The staff at COVID-19 duty must also be reminded that they are doing a national duty and some difficulties are inevitable, which should not be highlighted in various social media as [it] may be very embarrassing for the government."
Delhi has seen 2,918 cases of coronavirus and 54 deaths as of Monday, according to the federal Health and Family Welfare Ministry. India has reported 27,892 cases, and 872 deaths.