The scourge of COVID-19 hit Pune’s medical fraternity after a 45-year-old nurse associated with the city’s Ruby Hall Clinic tested positive for the novel coronavirus, prompting authorities to quarantine more than 25 of her colleagues on Sunday.
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“The nurse who works in the general ward was on leave till a few days ago. After resuming work, she displayed virus-like symptoms following which we sent her throat swab samples for testing. The tests returned positive and we have shifted her to the hospital’s isolation ward,” said Dr. Sanjay Pathare, Director of Medical Services, Ruby Hall Clinic.
Stating that the nurse had contracted a mild form of infection and that her condition was stable, Dr. Pathare stressed that the nurse had had no contact with other patients currently in the hospital’s isolation ward and undergoing treatment for COVID-19.
As a precautionary measure, around 25-30 nurses, too, have been placed in quarantine facilities, he said.
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A week ago, more than 40 doctors and nurses of a medical college and hospital in Pimpri had been quarantined after an autorickshaw driver, who had been undergoing treatment at that hospital for accident injuries, had tested positive for COVID-19. Fortunately, the test results of all 42 medical personnel had returned negative.
Tally rises
Meanwhile, Pune’s death toll as well as the number of fresh cases continued to mount on Sunday, with two more deaths and at least five positive cases being reported in the district.
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Two women, aged 58 and 56 respectively, with a history of medical ailments and comorbidities like obesity and diabetes, died in the city’s Sassoon Hospital, said authorities.
With this, the number of deaths in Pune division — which comprises of Pune, Satara, Kolhapur, Sangli and Solapur districts — have now surged to 31, of which 29 are from Pune city alone, while two are from Satara.
The district has reported more than 260 positive cases till date of which 230 are from Pune city alone.
