Inquiry into GH letting COVID-19 patient go

Woman returning from Umrah pilgrimage refused to get admitted to hospital

There will be an inquiry into the alleged lapses on the part of the authorities at the Government General Hospital, Kozhikode, who let a suspected COVID-19 patient from Mahe go without being admitted to the isolation ward last week.

She was later tested positive for the virus. District Collector S. Sambasiva Rao told the media on Wednesday that the admission and discharge of patients at the hospital would be streamlined.

The woman had arrived at the Calicut International Airport on March 13 morning after performing Umrah. She visited an Indian Coffee House restaurant at Vadakara and later the Government General Hospital, Mahe, before going home.

She was taken to the isolation ward at the Government General Hospital, Kozhikode, in the evening. Though she had COVID-19 symptoms, her relatives were not ready to admit her. She had gone to the railway station by an autorikshaw and later boarded a train to Thalassery. From there, she went home by an autorikshaw.

However, health staff brought her to the isolation ward at the Mahe hospital with police help the same day. Her lab results came by Tuesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, 18 persons who were present at the Indian Coffee House restaurant at Vadakara during the time of the patient’s visit have contacted the control room of the District Medical Officer. They are under observation.

The restaurant has been shut for the time being.

As many as 4,967 persons are under observation in the district now, of which 809 were newly added. Two are at the isolation ward attached to the Government Medical College Hospital and six are at the general hospital. Ten persons were discharged from there.

Of the 116 samples of body fluids sent for lab tests, 108 had turned negative.

Mr. Rao said that 1,668 squads were working at the ward-level and 202 special squads too had been formed.