Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai was declared a containment zone on Monday after 26 nurses and three doctors tested positive for novel coronavirus. The decision was taken by the BMC, following which a civil official said nobody would be allowed to enter or leave the Mumbai Central hospital till everyone in it tests negative twice consecutively. Commenting on the development, Additional municipal commissioner Suresh Kakani said a team has been set up under the executive health officer to probe how the infection spread among so many in a hospital setting.
As of now, as many as 270 swabs of the hospital staff and some patients have been sent for tests. Nurses who tested positive have been shifted from quarters in Vile Parle to the hospital. Meanwhile, the cafeteria area of the hospital continues to function as regular.
Wockhardt Hospital has so far reported nearly 30 coronavirus positive cases. The hospital management, however, did not comment on the reason behind medical staff being tested positive.
A 70-year-old heart attack patient, who was tested positive on March 27, is said to be the source of the infection. Soon after, a number of nurses developed symptoms and were tested positive.
Two of the affected doctors of Wockhardt Hospital are admitted to SevenHills and one in SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim.
According to the medical staff at the Wockhardt Hospital, the hospital did not quarantine the colleagues and roommates of the infected nurses, which could be a major reason behind the spread of the infection.
Meanwhile, the hospital has refuted claims of the United Nurses' Association, saying they were not tested or removed from shifts until they developed symptoms.
With 113 fresh cases of COVID-19 recorded on Sunday, Maharashtra's total number of confirmed cases has now jumped to 748 in the state, according to the figures released by the state's Health Ministry dashboard.
Of the 113 new cases, 81 are from Mumbai, 18 from Pune, 4 from Aurangabad, 3 from Ahmednagar, two from Kalyan- Dombivli and Thane, one each from Osmanabad and Vasai.
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