Lalu’s 3 caretakers found infected with coronavirus

Ranchi: Three caretakers of incarcerated RJD president Lalu Prasad tested positive for Covid-19 and doctors at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims) are keeping an eye on the health of the former Bihar CM. Doctors at the hospital they are planned to conduct a retest on Lalu as a precautionary measure.
Talking to TOI, Dr Umesh Prasad, professor of medicine department at Rims who looks after Lalu, said: “His swab samples tested negative but three of his caretakers who attended to him on a daily basis have tested positive. We will get him retested in four or five days if he develops any symptoms.”
On being asked about his current health status, one of the doctors from the team looking after him said: “He is doing well but we are taking all necessary precautions as he is diabetic, hypertensive, suffers from chronic kidney disease and has been operated twice for heart ailments. We are constantly monitoring his situation.”
On being asked about who will attend to Lalu in absence of his caretakers, Prasad said two people have been arranged by by Lalu himself and they have arrived at the hospital. “We are going to get the new caretakers tested for Covid so that there are no chance of infection to Lalu,” he said. Of the three attendants who tested positive for the viral disease, two have gone for home isolation, and one has been placed under quarantine at the hospital, the doctor said.
Hospital sources said Lalu’s swab samples were collected on Friday after one of his caretakers had developed Covid-19 symptoms. The state-run RIMS is one of the designated Covid hospitals in the city. Sources said that the private ward allotted to the RJD supremo is routinely sanitised and necessary precautions are taken to maintain hygiene.
“The caretakers developed a cough and cold and the doctors collected Lalu’s samples on Saturday. The results arrived on Sunday. Lalu is housed on the first floor of the 100-bed paying ward building and the common passage is used by for everyone -- health workers, covid-19 positive patients or the security personnel – accessing the building. Chances of the infection spreading is high,” said a nursing staff of the Paying ward.
On whether the management is planning to shift Lalu from to another ward in the hospital, Prasad said: “That decision will be taken by hospital administration and we do not have any information on that.”
Meanwhile, the RJD president's test reports have brought cheers to his family and supporters. “The good wishes of the poor for whom he worked all his life will help him retain good health,” party spokesman Mritunjay Tiwari said in Patna.
The former Bihar chief minister, who is serving jail sentences in several cases of multi-crore fodder scam, has been undergoing treatment at Rims for quite some time. The 72-year-old, after being convicted by a special CBI court in 2017, was sent to Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi. He was later shifted to the RIMS as his health condition deteriorated.