Covid-infected hospital staffer booked on Chandigarh administrator’s directions, had hosted party for 123 people - Hindustan Times
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Covid-infected hospital staffer booked on Chandigarh administrator’s directions, had hosted party for 123 people

By, Chandigarh
Apr 25, 2020 11:46 PM IST

Bapu Dham Colony, where the 30-year-old man resided, has been declared an “affected pocket”, with just one entry and exit point and police deployment

Chandigarh Police on Saturday registered a case against a 30-year-old Covid-19 positive man working at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, who hosted a party on April 17, which was attended by 123 people.

A team of health department conducting contact tracing at Bapu Dham Colony in Sector 26, Chandigarh, on Saturday.(Ravi Kumar/HT)
A team of health department conducting contact tracing at Bapu Dham Colony in Sector 26, Chandigarh, on Saturday.(Ravi Kumar/HT)

A resident of Bapu Dham Colony, Sector 26, he had tested positive on Friday. Meanwhile, two of his contacts, including his father, were found infected on Saturday, taking the city’s tally to 30. The other person is also a GMCH employee, who works as an operation theatre attendant and lives in Mauli Jagran.

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The case was registered after UT administrator VP Singh Badnore directed director general of police (DIG) Sanjay Baniwal to initiate criminal proceedings against him for violating curfew orders and not observing social distance norms. The FIR includes Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection disease dangerous to life) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Meanwhile, Bapu Dham Colony has been declared an “affected pocket”, with just one entry and exit point and police deployment. Movement will be strictly prohibited. Only authorised essential service providers wearing protective gear with valid ID and pass will be allowed.

Even as Dr BS Chavan, director principal, GMCH, said the employee’s source of infection was from outside the hospital, and that 123 people had attended the party, Badnore expressed deep concern over the city’s 28th Covid-19 case as Bapu Dham “area is quite congested,” mentioned the administration’s official statement.

The administrator directed the principal secretary (health) to ensure that all contacts of the patients were traced and quarantined. The DIG was asked to initiate criminal proceedings against the patient for reportedly hosting a celebratory party for his wedding anniversary at home, which was attended by 123 people, thereby violating both curfew orders and social distancing norms, read the statement.

Calling it “highly irresponsible behaviour,” a senior administrator said, “he has not only jeopardised his health but has put many other lives at risk. He has violated curfew and action must be taken.”

Municipal corporation contact tracing teams also quarantined 130 of man’s acquaintances. About 14 households are under quarantine of which 12 are in Bapu Dham Colony, one in Mauli Jagran, and one in Sector 52, Chandigarh.

“A total of 130 community contacts have been quarantined so far. Sanitisation has been carried out in the affected as well as adjacent houses,” the official statement mentioned.

Apart from this, 27 workplace contacts of a case from Nayagaon in Mohali, who was diagnosed positive on April 23, tested negative. They included 19 persons from Chandigarh and seven from Punjab.

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