Two more postgraduates of the Madras Medical College (MMC), to which the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) is attached, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Their source of infection was traced to a sanitation worker who worked in the PG men’s hostel on contract.
Already, 23 medical, paramedical staff and workers of the hospital have tested positive for COVID-19. A majority of them were from the Department of Cardiology in the hospital. Of this, six postgraduates and a staff nurse were discharged last week. Hospital authorities said three more staff nurses were discharged on Monday.
One block of MMC’s PG men’s hostel was vacated, disinfected and brought under containment. Of the 102 PGs who were tested, 100 samples returned negative for COVID-19. Similarly, all those doing CRRI (Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship) were tested and were found to be negative. As on date, 471 doctors, 363 nurses and paramedical personnel were tested, the medical college said in a release on Sunday.
Area sealed
A doctor said the PG men’s hostel in Broadway was now a containment zone and the area sealed. “No other medical college hospital has so many health care providers or workers as COVID-19 positive patients like the RGGGH. The available manpower has not been utilised well and all are exposed to the infection. As of now, only 30% workforce is required for COVID-19 duty, and general patients, and the rest can be kept as reserve,†he said.
A few PGs said some of them were screened for COVID-19 earlier. “Now, two PGs have tested positive, and so, the tests should be conducted again. Many of us were asked to assemble at the same time for the test. This was wrong as it could lead to spread of infection. There should be periodical testing for all of us,†one of them said.
He added that the laboratory report was not given to them and they were only informed of the result. “Those on COVID-19 duty share the same dressing rooms. We need more dressing rooms, and rooms for donning and doffing of personal protective equipment. Only a few wards have such separate facilities. A separate duty roster should be created for CRRIs,†another PG said.
Dean denies reports
While several messages that the hospital’s safety was compromised and patient care was affected are doing the rounds, hospital dean R. Jayanthi termed all such messages as fake. “The situation is under control. The two PGs had come in contact with the sanitary worker, and did not work in the COVID-19 ward. We have an adequate number of PGs in non-COVID medical and surgical wards,†she said.
She added that CRRIs have started to work from Monday - at RGGGH and at its affiliated institutions - Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for Women and Children, Triplicane and Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Hospital for Women and Children, Egmore. “One-third of the CRRIs are kept under reserve,†she said. The block housing the Department of Cardiology that was closed for disinfection works would be operational from Tuesday, she added.
A message forwarded by the authorities said any PG with a history of possible unintentional exposure during work was being screened. Based on the reports of screening tests done so far, there was no evidence of any significant or widespread infection among doctors, PGs or staff nurses and there was no truth in the rumours.