Health staffer at airport cured
One of three staffers of the health department, who was deputed for screening of arriving passengers at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), and had tested positive for coronavirus
(Covid-19) in March, has now been cured and has been discharged.
Two of his colleagues, who also later tested positive, are on their way to full recovery and are expected to be discharged soon, airport health officer for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Dr Anuradha Medju, said on Wednesday.
“The recovery of this patient, and the healing of his other two colleagues, again demonstrates that there is nothing to be fear about coronavirus as a disease. Timely medical attention will help nearly everyone to recover fully. Anyone who has Covid-19 symptoms, should seek medical attention so they can keep themselves and their families safe,” Dr Medju said.
The health department staffer was found to be
Covid-19 positive on March 25 but had placed himself under self-quarantine from March 23 itself. The staffer was the first official on duty at the airport to be tested positive for Covid-19, which set alarm bells ringing among officials that he may have contracted it from one of the passengers who disembarked at the airport.
“We wanted to be absolutely certain about how he got the disease. We investigated all his contacts and touchpoints thoroughly and checked on health of everyone with whom he came in contact with at the airport while on duty. Finally, we established that he contracted the disease from outside and not from any passenger, or others, he interacted with at the airport,” she told Deccan Chronicle.
“He was very worried and scared initially after testing positive about what might happen to his family if he dies. We spoke with health department officials and urged them to have a system of counselling for Covid-19 patients, which not only helped this man but many other patients subsequently,” she said.
“It was great help that Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced `50 lakh insurance for health workers on the frontlines, including outsourced workers. This contributed to him, and his colleagues, finding additional courage in terms of safety and security of their families,” Dr Medju said.