A suspended Telangana police official, who was sent home after treatment for COVID-19, was on Friday called back to hospital after an apparent error in his test result.
The Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Bhadradri Kothagudem district was called back to government-run Chest Hospital in Hyderabad, a day after he was discharged. He was again kept in isolation at the hospital.
"The patient, who tested positive on March 23, was discharged after the test result came out negative. But it came 'weak positive' in a second test. So we called him back, admitted him in the hospital and again sent (the samples) for testing," a medical official told PTI.
The patient did not go around much and those who came in contact with him have been put in quarantine. An enquiry was held and a report on the matter had been sent to the authorities concerned, the official added.
The senior police official was suspended last month after he concealed information about his son who had returned from London. Both the father and son later tested positive. A cook in the house also tested positive.
The DSP's son ventured out in violation of quarantine protocol multiple times and reportedly even attended a family function in West Godavari in Andhra Pradesh on March 19.
The police later booked a case under Section 188 (disobedience of public servant's order) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the DSP and his son.
Two more persons died of coronavirus in Telangana on Saturday, taking the total death toll in the state to 14.
The total COVID-19 positive cases rose to 503 in the state as 16 new cases were reported on Saturday. The number of active cases now stands at 393.
PTI inputs