The 45-day-old baby boy from Narayanpet district who tested positive for COVID-19, died on Sunday. The infant was suffering from pneumonia and had compromised immunity since birth.
Officials from the district who were hit by the tragic news are still trying to find the source of infection. The task became tough as the health officials said that the family members did not step out of the village till April 13, on which the baby’s mother and uncle took him to Mahabubnagar government hospital and from there shifted him to a private hospital in Hyderabad and later to Niloufer Hospital. The infant was shifted to Gandhi Hospital after he tested positive for the virus, where he succumbed on Sunday.
The samples of parents and 16 primary contacts of the baby tested negative, said Narayanpet Collector Harichandana Dasari. “A total of 22 samples of those who came in contact with the baby since April 1, have been collected and results of 10 more samples are awaited,” she said.
The District collector said that they have contained the entire Abhangapur village, which has a population of over 700 people and essentials are being supplied to the villagers. The 22 primary contacts of the child have been sent to the government quarantine centre. The task is on to trace the secondary contacts.
‘No travel history’
“Now, we have to trace out on how the virus was transmitted to the child, as both the parents tested negative and have no travel history,” Ms.Harichandana told The Hindu . She said that they are spraying disinfectants in the entire village.
“He is the first COVID-19 case from the district. The infant’s parents, family members and others said that they did not step out of the village. None of them have symptoms of the infectious disease. Samples have been collected from whoever has come in contact with the baby,” said N Shailaja, Narayanpet District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO).
Officials are also going through the list of people who have come from other districts to the village.
Staff quarantined
Doctors, nurses and Class-IV staff who worked in Emergency Service Room of Niloufer Hospital where the baby underwent treatment were asked to be go into quarantine. Superintendent of the hospital V Murali Krishna said that it is a routine procedure. As per protocol, staff maintains five-days of quarantine after 10-days work.
Similarly, a nurse and Class-IV employee from Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) tested positive. The institute’s superintendent N. Satynarayana said that the nurse did not attend duties from past one-month.
However, the Class-IV employee was one among the staff who got exposed to a Police constable who got admitted at NIMS around 20-days ago. He was sent to Gandhi Hospital after developing symptoms and tested positive. “Doctors, staff who got exposed to the patient were sent to quarantine. The Class-IV employee was one among them. Others will be allowed to resume duties if they test negative thrice,” Dr Satyanarayana said.
Eom
