As many as 42 health workers, including 23 doctors of Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital have tested positive with Covid-19.
“Among them, 23 are doctors, 10 are nurses and nine are health staff,” the hospital’s Director Brig Gen KaziMd Rashid UnNabi, told The Daily Star.
The authorities believe the doctors, nurses and other health staff contracted the virus from a patient who hid information about his own coronavirus test result and the symptoms.
The hospital conducted tests on 69 health workers on Saturday after 22 tested positive last Thursday and Friday, the hospital’s Director said.
On Sunday, 13 doctors and seven nurses tested positive, taking the total to 42, he said.
All the health workers who were involved in the surgery of a patient last week tested positive for the virus, Rashid said adding that the patient hid information, leading to infection of the doctors.
The director said the infected medics were kept in isolation ward while their close contacts have been quarantined.
“The doctors don’t have any symptoms at present but they tested positive. We don’t know how many more have been infected. We are on the lookout,” he said.
He added that he already spoke to Directorate General of Health Services to take necessary steps.
“If we close the hospital for 14 days, at least we can stop this transmission,” he added.
