30 doctors, nurses in AIIMS Delhi advised quarantine after coming in contact with COVID-19 patient

Around 30 healthcare workers including doctors, nurses and technicians at the Cardio-Neuro Centre in AIIMS here have been advised to undergo quarantine after a 72-year-old man who visited the facility with neurological problem tested positive for COVID-19, sources said on Wednesday.

The patient had reported to the emergency with brain stroke symptoms around two days back and was immediately shifted to the Neurology ward N-S5 for evaluation and treatment.

"He was then subjected to radiological investigations like CT and MRI and was kept in a cubicle with other patients. He later complained of chest and respiratory distress after which his chest X-ray was done and and he was intubated.

"There was some suspicion over his respiratory problems and his sample was taken and sent for testing which came out positive for COVID-19," a source said.

According to an official, the patient was immediately transported to AIIMS Trauma Centre,which has been converted into a dedicated COVID-19 hospital, and contact tracing has been initiated.

The neurology ward where the patient was admitted is being sanitized and doctors in the emergency department are making robust screening of all patients to identity such cases.

The patient is in critical condition and doctors are keeping a close watch on his health status.

"About 30 healthcare workers including doctors, nurses and technicians who came in contact with the patient have been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days. After five days, their samples would be tested," the official said.

The death toll due to the novel coronavirus rose to 149 and the number of cases to 5,194 in the country on Wednesday, according to the Union Health Ministry.

However, a PTI tally of figures reported by various states as on Tuesday 9.45 p.m. showed 5,192 testing positive for coronavirus across the country and at least 162 deaths.