More than 90 people — 40 doctors and 50 staff members — of a medical college and hospital in Pimpri have been quarantined after an autorickshaw driver, who was undergoing treatment at the hospital for accident injuries, tested positive for COVID-19, authorities said on Monday.
The autorickshaw driver, who lives in Pune’s Khadki Bazaar, had met with an accident a few days ago and was taken to the Pimpri hospital where he was kept under observation following a surgery. On April 4, he tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Shravan Hardikar told The Hindu that the doctors and medical staff had been quarantined as a precautionary measure and their throat swabs had been sent for testing.
Mr. Hardikar categorically refuted a report in an English daily that the autorickshaw driver had a travel history to Delhi or a direct connection with the Nizamuddin Tablighi Jamaat conclave held last month.
“From what we have gleaned after talking to his family members, it prima facie appears that he has no connection with the Tablighi Jamaat event. As the driver is in the intensive care unit, we can question him more once he recovers,” Mr. Hardikar said.
Meanwhile, the police have placed the kin of the driver in isolation and have sealed the building where he resides. Officials have begun the process of contact tracing.
