The Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad reported four COVID-19 cases among frontline workers on Thursday, taking the total positive cases at the hospital to 11. The new cases were reported among a consultant from the cardiology department and lab technicians.
On Wednesday, four doctors and three sanitation workers from the cardiology department tested positive.
Hyderabad has been witnessing many of its frontline workers being infected by the coronavirus. At Osmania Medical College, as many as 16 medicos tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
Speaking to TNM, a resident doctor with NIMS said that a few of those who tested positive have a fever and their conditions are stable. Most of them began exhibiting symptoms three to four days before Wednesday, said the doctor.
“They self-isolated themselves and got themselves tested at NIMS. For four people, the results came positive only today. One of the people who tested positive today recently became a father. We are all concerned about our colleagues and a little worried. This is early detection so they only have a fever. Other associated symptoms such as respiratory difficulties are not there. They are all under isolation,” he added.
Several doctors working at the Outpatient Department (OPD) of NIMS had raised concerns about the patient screening system, calling it inadequate and not foolproof.
At NIMS, OPD patients have to approach two lab technicians who, after a series of questions, issue an entry slip that has to be taken to a room with three doctors. The permission to enter the OPD block is only issued once these doctors sign the entry slip. Those with COVID-19 symptoms are not allowed inside the OPD block. However, doctors had pointed out that temperature checks and self-declaration of symptoms by patients were not effective safety measures to protect frontline staff.
Earlier in April, two resident doctors from NIMS were quarantined after a nephrology patient was suspected of coming in close contact with a COVID-19 patient.
The Junior Doctors’ Association and Resident Doctors’ Association met with Health Minister Eatala Rajender on Wednesday demanding they be provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at outpatient (OP) wards and at elective surgery wards. The doctors called for voluntary testing to be done for doctors on the frontlines on a routine basis. The doctors demanded a policy of two rotational shifts of quarantine and duty.
Meanwhile, Telangana recorded 129 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, and seven deaths, taking the death toll to 99 in the state. With this, the total number of cases stands at 3,020.