Chandigarh: As infections rise in PGI, spread worries mount

CHANDIGARH: With 40 employees of PGI testing positive for Covid-19 daily on an average, fears abound that health workers and family members could form a part of the chain of transmission in the Tricity if exposed to the virus.
“It is worrisome. We have 13,500 employees and if their family members and others are included, some 5 lakh people are part of health workers’ fraternity.Medical workers are at a greater risk than other people due to their exposure,” said Prof Jagat Ram, director, PGI.

Another alarming sign is that relatives of patients are not being tested and many are testing positive a few days after visiting the hospitals. Previously, some random cases of patients contracting the infection in the ward used to surface. Now, most of the departments are reporting Covid cases daily. “We can test the patients, but it is not practical to test relatives in PGI. It will be increase the pendency at the cost of sick patients. So, we will ask relatives also to get tested anywhere outside PGI,” said Prof Ram.
A Covid positive patient can infect 400 persons at a time, according to an ICMR study Earlier, there were red, green and yellow zones in the emergency area to segregate infected and non-infected patients. But with most relatives of the patients accompanying them without being tested, such a segregation is not feasible. Some patients are also lying on the corridors of the Covid hospital due to shortage of beds and manpower, sources said.
“There are more than 170 patients admitted in the Nehru Hospital extension, a dedicated Covid hospital, while 30 positive patients are in the non-Covid area of the hospital. Due to limited resources, it takes time to shift the patients from non-Covid to Covid care,” said a faculty member. He said, “The test reports take 6-8 hours while the shifting of the patients takes a day. In the meantime, more patients and relatives who come in contact are also exposed.”