Deepak Ohri, Chief Medical Officer of Gautam Buddh Nagar tested positive for COVID-19 late on July 4, officials said. In his absence, additional CMO Nepal Singh will officiate. According to Health department officials, Dr. Ohri showed influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms after his visit to various containment zones including JJ Cluster colony during the week.
Dr .Ohri is one of the two senior officials of the district to test positive on July 4 when the district reported 83 fresh cases and five deaths.
Meanwhile, Sub-divisional magistrate (Sadar) Prasoon Dwivedi and his wife also tested positive on July 4. Gautam Buddh Nagar has three SDMs, out of which two have tested positive in the last ten days. Earlier, Gunja Singh, SDM (Jewar) and her husband Shailendra Kumar Singh, ADM (City), Ghaziabad, tested positive for COVID 19 on June 28.
“The officials are in isolation and are doing fine. Their office premises have been sanitised and the people who have come in their contact are being tested,” said District Magistrate Suhas L.Y.
In a related development, 13 inmates of the juvenile home in Buddh Nagar have tested positive during the ongoing mass surveillance drive in the district. According to a Health official, the infected inmates have been sent to Government Institute of Medical Sciences in Greater Noida for treatment. “Out of 163 inmates and 17 staff members, 13 inmates have been found COVID positive through rapid antigen kits. We are getting their RT-PCR test done,” said Mr. Suhas.
A Health official said it appeared that the infection spread due to the use of common toilets.
