Srinagar, May 3 (GNS): Doctors on Sunday reemphasized the need for testing “high risk and sick patients” for novel coronavirus, days after a plastic surgery patient, sharing ward for a week with cancer patients, tested positive for the disease at Super Speciality Hospital at Shireen Bagh here.
A senior doctor told GNS that the patient was referred from Anantnag to Bone and Joint hospital where she was managed for “cellulitis (bacterial skin infection) in the lower limb.
“Patient was shifted from bone and joint hospital to SMHS hospital as she developed generalized infection and condition deteriorated,” the doctor said, adding, “She was managed in SMHS medicine ward and later surgery was performed at SMHS in surgical emergency.”
After being managed in various departments and hospitals, the doctor said, the patient was later on shifted to Plastic Surgery department Super Speciality Hospital here for further management.
“In plastic surgery department patient was planned for definitive surgery. COVID testing of the patient was done preoperatively keeping in consideration her general condition and her visits to various other hospitals,” the doctor said, adding, “The test was reported as positive. A major catastrophe was hence averted.”
Another doctor said that the patient had been sick right from day one and tests prior to her shifting from one hospital to other would have saved many possible contacts.
“This case is an eye opener for all,” the doctor told Global News Service and underlined that “high risk and sick patients” need testing for coronavirus before being shifted from one hospital to another.
“Preoperative COVID testing should be done necessarily to safeguard the life of surgeons, anesthetists, theatre staff and their possible contacts,” the doctor added. On Saturday, the authorities took samples of all the fourteen patients in the ward for novel coronavirus while around thirty healthcare workers including at least eight doctors besides nurses and dressers were shifted to either administrative or home quarantine. (GNS)
