Rims under scanner after positive man dies in non-Covid ward

RANCHI: Jharkhand on Thursday recorded one death related to Covid-19 and 46 fresh cases, taking the tally in the state to 827. Of the total, 430 are active cases while 391 have recovered and six have succumbed to the viral infection.
Of the 46 new cases, Koderma district reported the highest at 13 while 10 are from Garhwa. Simdega detected nine cases, Hazaribag four cases, Gumla and Khunti reported three cases each.Latehar, East Singhbhum, Palamu and Ranchi reported one case each.
Meanwhile, the Ranchi administration’s Covid-19 management came under scanner after an ex-Army man, who tested positive for the virus, died at a non-Covid ward of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (Rims).
The victim (59), a resident of Kokar area here, had suffered brain injuries after falling off a roof and was taken to Medica hospital on May 30. His samples were taken on May 31 and he was discharged against medical advice following a request from his family. He was then taken to Rims’ neurosurgery department. On June 2, Medica hospital lab report said the man tested positive for Covid-19.
Medica hospital management said the Ranchi civil surgeon’s office and the officials of the state Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) were informed about the man’s report. The Rims management, unaware of the man’s condition, admitted him to the neurosurgery ICU.
Rims neurosurgery department head Dr Anil Kumar said, "The patient came in a very serious condition because of the head injury. After he died in the afternoon, the patient’s kin informed us that he had tested positive for Covid-19 on June 2."
When asked why the patient was not shifted to the Covid block, Ranchi civil surgeon Dr V B Prasad said: "In the report given to us by Medica hospital, we were told that the patient was admitted in Rims. We did not follow up on the matter further."
A senior official in Ranchi administration said, "We were told that the patient is in Rims. So we thought he must be in the Covid block."
The victim had come in contact with 22 people at Rims, including doctors, health workers, nurses, paramedics and senior faculty of the department. Rims is already reeling under infection spread scare. On Tuesday, two intern doctors tested positive, putting the hospital’s women hostel at risk.