+ve cancer patient in Mayo, staff at pvt hosp quarantined

Anjaya Anparthi | TNN | Apr 28, 2020, 04:21 IST

Nagpur: The cancer patient who tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday was admitted at Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) after Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) reportedly said it was full. Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) collected swab samples of 59 staff, including doctors, of private cancer hospital where the patient underwent surgery and and quarantined all of them at the hospital itself.
Municipal commissioner Tukaram Mundhe told TOI, “We have directed the cancer hospital not to take any new patients till reports of all staff are available. We are treating all staff as suspected cases as none knows whether patient was infected pre or post-surgery. Further decision will be taken after reports are received.”
It is second hospital to be temporarily closed, the first one being Janata Hospital, Jaripatka, for three days. Two diagnostic centres were also closed for fumigation for three days.
The team from NMC Ashi Nagar Zone led by zonal medical officer Dipankar Bhivgade admitted the cancer patient at IGGMCH and quarantined his wife and her sister. “Patient and family members denied any travel history out of city and also in existing containment zones of the city. They said the patient was undergoing oral cancer treatment for last two years. They also said patient had not met his brothers and other family members for last few years,” Bhivgade said.
NMC team first took the patient to GMCH in small hours of Monday and then admitted at IGGMCH. Sources at IGGMCH and NMC said, “Patient is suffering from cancer and needs admission in high dependency unit (HDU) ward. His condition is not bad at present but there is no HDU at IGGMCH. GMCH has converted Trauma Centre into Dedicated Covid Hospital and has ICU and HDU. The matter will be discussed with GMCH.”
The person had undergone surgery on April 14 at private cancer hospital and was discharged on April 22. He came for a check-up at the hospital citing cough and other problems on April 24. The hospital engaged a private laboratory and collected samples. The reports came positive on April 26 night from Mumbai laboratory.
An auto driver, the person is first cancer patient of the district to test positive for Covid-19. As he is a resident of Sangam Nagar, North Nagpur, Mundhe has notified containment zone with boundaries at Ittabhatti square, Wanjra bridge, Nandi square and NMC Yashodhara Nagar School. It is the ninth containment zone in existence in the city.
Also, it is third area from North Nagpur after Jaripatka and Rajiv Gandhi Nagar. NMC will investigate on its own about family members and close contacts and quarantine them from Tuesday onwards.
Mundhe added, “A few days ago, NMC already started checking health condition of all cancer patients by calling them from control room. Cancer patients are considered high-risk for Covid-19. We are regularly inquiring about their health, encouraging them to stay at home, coordinating with medical shops and hospitals for medicines and treatment,” he said.