A health worker takes prepares rapid antigen tests to detect Covid-19. (Express Photo/File) Eight patients and 44 staffers have been infected with coronavirus since January 1 at the Regional Mental Hospital in Yerawada.
Last year six patients died of Covid and 386 of them were infected at the regional mental hospital. Due to the transmissible nature of the Omicron Covid variant, authorities are taking extra precautionary measures by setting up separate isolation wards, one each for males and females. Another two quarantine wards have been set up for patients who are newly admitted to the hospital.
Dr Abhijit Phadnis, medical superintendent at the Regional Mental Hospital, said, “We have patients seeking treatment from 12 districts of Maharashtra including eight of Marathwada like Latur, Beed, Parbhani, Aurangabad and others. From Western Maharashtra districts like Satara Ahmednagar, Solapur too there are patients seeking admission at the hospital.”
New patients will have to, initially, stay in the quarantine ward before being allowed to interact with others. Social distancing is a challenge with mentally ill patients at the hospital, Dr Phadnis said. Presently there are 1,107 patients admitted to the hospital which has a staff strength of 650.
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