Rajindra Hospital’s emergency ward closed after 11 staffers test +ve

PATIALA: A day after 11 staffers of the Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala tested positive for Covid-19, the emergency ward of the hospital was shut on Thursday in a bid to control the spread of coronavirus.

A patient and a nurse had been diagnosed with the virus a week ago but the ward was made functional after sanitisation till its closure on Thursday.

The district health department asked the authorities to ensure strict compliance of precautionary measures. Patiala civil surgeon Dr Harish Malhotra, said, “We have asked Rajindra Hospital authorities to follow all guidelines and provide details of the doctor and staff nurse duty roster.”

On Wednesday evening, a doctor, five nurses, four ward attendants and a security guard were found Covid-19 positive.

The hospital has about 1,200 employees in 25 departments. It sees around 5,000 patients daily, including 50 in the emergency ward.

When contacted, Government Rajindra Hospital medical superintendent Dr Paras Pandove said, “We are providing safety kits to all staffers when needed. We have asked everyone to follow guidelines and take precautionary measures. However, if someone is not doing so, it is their personal responsibility. However, we are again issuing directions in this regard.”

“A week ago when a staffer was found positive, we sanitised the emergency ward and resumed work. Now that more staffers have been found to be positive, we have closed the ward,” he added.