The entire medical fraternity and others concerned in Adilabad district are waiting anxiously for the COVID-19 test report of an ophthalmologist at Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Adilabad. If the test report turns out to be positve for the deadly viral infection, then scores of people who have come into contact with him will become COVID-19 suspects entailing a huge exercise in isolation and performing tests, according to sources in RIMS hospital.
The medical fraternity and the district administration are aghast that the eye specialist in question hid the fact that he had visited the Tablighi Jamaat markaz (centre) at Nizamuddin in New Delhi between March 8 and 12. He, in fact attended duties between March 12 and April 1 before he was sent into quarantine at the RIMS wards.
The eye specialist in question, is a senior national-level functionary of the Tablighi Jamaat based in Adilabad town. He is reported to have attended the preparatory meeting of the Jamaat between the dates in question having flown in and out of the national capital.
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The potential spread of infection can be gauged from the fact that the doctor performed duties as in charge of the ambulance service of the department all through and performed one emergency eye surgery on March 26. He even attended at meeting of the Drug Purchase Committee of the RIMS on March 28 where the agenda was about purchase of drugs related with COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was only after a search was launched for the Jamaat returnees that his name came up as having visited the Jamaat centre in Delhi. The Collector immediately asked the District Medical and Health Officer to get the ophthalmologist into the isolation ward, which was done on April 1,” disclosed a source in the Medical and Health department.