Minor girl tests +ve, mother staying with her in Covid-19 ward

Anjaya Anparthi & Chaitanya Deshpande | TNN | Updated: Apr 22, 2020, 14:00 IST

Image used for representative purpose

NAGPUR: Though Covid-19 is a highly contagious disease, parents are not letting children who have tested positive to stay alone in quarantine. An 11-year-old girl from Satranjipura tested positive on Monday, while reports of her 35-year-old mother are awaited. However, the woman is staying with her daughter in the Covid-19 Isolation Ward of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).
The minor girl was among 10 members of a family traced, examined and quarantined at MLA Hostel in connection with the 68-year-old deceased from Satranjipura, the city’s first and only Covid-19 death. They are neighbours of the deceased. Samples of the minor girl, her mother, father, two siblings and other family members were taken on April 18.
The reports of the minor girl came positive on Monday. Reports of the remaining family members are awaited. When a team of NMC and GMCH personnel reached MLA Hostel to take the girl to be admitted in GMCH, the mother insisted on accompanying her. As her daughter is a minor, NMC and GMCH allowed it. For last over 24 hours, the mother has been with the girl at GMCH.
The father of the minor girl told TOI, “We had no option but to decide that my wife will be with my daughter, as she is only 11. It is very strange that reports of my daughter came early though all our samples were taken on April 18. Reports of the entire family should come at a time so that there is no confusion and problem,” he said.
TOI has reported three such instances in the past. Despite recommended discharge on April 11, two persons from Khamla and Jaripatka continue to be with their daughters at the Covid-19 Isolation Ward of Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH). Both the daughters were continuously testing positive.
Samples of the two persons — manager (Khamla) and assistant (Jaripatka) — at the shop of Khamla businessman who tested positive came positive on March 26. A day later, the 16-year-old daughter of the manager and 12-year-old daughter of the assistant too tested positive. The two persons had tested negative twice later, and were recommended discharge on April 11. But the two decided to remain with their minor daughters.
IGGMCH deputy medical superintendent Dr Sagar Pande told TOI, “Reports of the two girls were negative on Tuesday. Now, we will take another sample on Wednesday morning. All four will be discharged in the evening if they test negative,” he said.
Thus, the two persons have been staying with their daughters who were positive for last 10 days.
Another patient, Iskcon member from a housing society in front of Gandhisagar lake, had also tested positive on March 29. The person was also testing positive regularly. His samples finally tested negative on Tuesday. He will be discharged if he tests negative in second sample on Wednesday.
Till now, 12 positive persons have been discharged, of which one is again in quarantine for not maintaining home quarantine.
TOI had also reported about the daughter and son-in-law of Satranjipura deceased keeping their six-year-old daughter with them at GMCH even though they were positive and child was negative. After a few days, the child too tested positive.
In another case, the son and daughter-in-law of the deceased are keeping their six-month-old baby daughter with them even though they tested positive and she is negative.