COVID-19: MP Healthcare Workers in Crisis; 2 Dead, 3 New Cases, 36 Under Quarantine

Bhopal: Doctors who are leading the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic are falling prey to the virus in Madhya Pradesh. In the last two days, two doctors have died in Indore, while three doctors tested positive in the state capital on Friday. A total of 36 doctors and nurses have been put under quarantine. 

Of the three positive cases in Bhopal, two are PG students at Gandhi Medical College, and the third is posted in Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation Ltd (BSCDCL), which houses the COVID-19 control room.

Among the PG students, one is posted in the maternity care at Sultania hospital and other in Hamdia hospital. Both are associated with hospitals of GMC. Their contact history is being traced. 

They have been admitted to a private medical college, said sources. The one in maternity care had a travel history to South India and was allegedly placed on duty without going into quarantine. In the other case, the junior doctor was tested after she started displaying symptoms. As a result, more than three dozen doctors, staff have been asked to stay in quarantine.

While the third doctor, which was posted at the BSCDCL and tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday has been sent to a private medical collage for treatment. The Integrated Control and Command Centre (ICCC) in BSCDCL building houses the control room for monitoring COVID-19 in the state.

Meanwhile, three more health department related cases were reported. They are relatives of a health consultant and one is a health consultant. With this, Bhopal’s COVID-19 count has rocketed from 18 around a week ago to 122. Four of those who tested positive on Friday are children, the youngest being a two-year-old. The toddler is related to a health department officer.

Two doctors died

The 65-year-old doctor who died on Friday was among six deaths reported during the day, which took the city’s toll to 29. He was a retired Ayush officer of Dhar district, about 70 km from Indore. He practised in Brahma Bagh Colony of Indore.

“A 65-year-old private practitioner died because of Covid-19. We are gathering information on him,” said Indore chief medical and health officer Dr Praveen Jadia.

The administration is trying to trace people who may have visited his clinic or had come in contact with him. The doctor who died on Thursday had seen patients after testing negative twice for COVID-19.

On Thursday, a doctor had died in Indore – the first medical practitioner in the state to be killed by the virus.