Premier Kerala Hospital May Shutdown As Doctor Tests Positive For Coronavirus; Various Senior Doctors, Patients At Risk

Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) a premier medical college in Kerala’s capital of Thiruvananthapuram is on the verge of shutting down its patient-care services after various senior medical practitioners and patients were exposed to a Covid-19 positive doctor, The Hindu has reported.

The doctor in question who had recently returned back from Spain, had worked at the Digital Substraction Angiography lab from 2 to 5 March. On 8 March he began suffering from a sore throat and revealed his travel itinerary, despite which he was advised not to self-quarantine. He subsequently attended the outpatient clinic on 10 and 11 March.

He eventually quarantined himself on 12 March and was isolated on Saturday (14 March). His sample tested positive yesterday (15 March).

As a result, various senior doctors including head of departments who had come in contact with him have been forced to undergo self-isolation, rendering them unable to attend to patients. Around 25 doctors are currently under observation.

They have also requested the SCTIMST director to discharge patients scheduled for treatment, while urging that only emergency cases should be entertained by the medical college.