34 patients, 10 staffers of Erragadda Mental Hospital test COVID positive

Over 34 patients tested positive for Covid-19 at Erragadda Mental Hospital this week. Ten staff members of the same hospital tested positive in the past weeks.

Among the 34 patients who tested positive, 25 patients were in the closed ward.

Hyderabad :- Hyderabad: Over 34 patients tested positive for Covid-19 at Erragadda Mental Hospital this week. Ten staff members of the same hospital tested positive in the past weeks.

Among the 34 patients who tested positive, 25 patients were in the closed ward of the hospital while three patients were in the semi-closed ward and the remaining six patients in the forensic ward.

“The patients were inside the hospital and they did not go outside. The staff were coming from outside and attending them. Even if we consider that the patients could have been infected by the staff, neither the staff nor their family members had shown any symptoms,” said Dr M. Uma Shankar, superintendent of Erragadda Mental Hospital.

Six of the patients in the forensic ward, who tested positive, have been sent to Gandhi Hospital.

So far, among the staff, one doctor, one resident doctor, four nurses, three ward boys and a barber tested positive for Covid in the hospital. “The staff got infected 3-4 weeks back and we have taken necessary precautions after that. Due to the asymptomatic nature of the virus, it is becoming difficult for us to identify the COVID positive patients in the initial stages,” said Dr M. Uma Shankar.