Doctor wrongly flagged as a corona patient in Karnataka

By: Udaya Kumar
CHIKKAMGALURU: A medical officer in Mudigere, Chikkamagaluru district, was discharged from a dedicated Covid-19 hospital on Saturday after it emerged that he had been wrongly diagnosed with the infection.
Multiple tests, conducted in various labs, including the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Bengaluru, showed that he had never contracted coronavirus.
About 485 people who were quarantined at a facility over suspected exposure to him heaved a sigh of relief following the development. So did 961 people who were asked to stay in home isolation. All 28 close contacts of the doctor have also tested negative for coronavirus.
The doctor worked at a primary health centre in Mudigere. He was flagged as a Covid-19 patient after a random test on May 19. Deputy commissioner Bagadi Goutham said on Saturday that the doctor was hospitalised because of a technical error and wrong diagnosis.
He stayed in the hospital for four days before subsequent tests cleared him.
After the May 19 test, the district administration scrambled to identify his contacts as he had attended to hundreds of patients in the capacity as a medical officer during the lockdown. He also came in contact with at least 15 Asha workers and medical staff, and there were unconfirmed reports that he had travelled to Bengaluru. Six teams were formed to trace all contacts.
Later, his samples were sent to labs in Chikkamagaluru, Bengaluru, Shivamogga and Hassan. Goutham said the state government’s permission was taken for the repeat examinations.