Over 50 people, including doctors and nursing staff of a hospital in Bikaner, have been quarantined after samples taken from a 60-year-old woman, who died here on Friday, tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Sunday.
The staff at the state-run PBM Hospital had handed over the body of the woman to her family members on Friday afternoon but the results of the test for COVID-19 came at night, they said. By then, the family members had already cremated the body, the officials added.
An inquiry was ordered after the matter came to light. Realising the mistake, a rapid response team was rushed to quarantine the family members, they said.
After the matter came into light, a report was sought from the medical college principal and hospital superintendent, Bikaner District Collector Kumar Pal Gautam said.
Bikaner Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr B L Meena said 20 family members of the deceased, 15 neighbours and as many hospital staffers have been quarantined.
The woman was earlier admitted at a private hospital before being referred to PBM Hospital. Six staffers of the private hospital have been isolated, Meena said.
PBM Hospital Superintendent Dr B K Gupta said resident doctors and nursing staff of the unit have been isolated as a precautionary measure.
There has been a lapse but the body was handed over to family following all necessary guidelines, Gupta added.
As per the hospital authorities, the 60-year-old patient was admitted to the hospital’s emergency ICU on the night of April 1 and shifted to a general ward a few hours later. On April 2, the patient was shifted to a swine flu ward and then again on Friday, she was shifted to the isolation ward meant for coronavirus suspects and her samples were taken.
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