BHUBANESWAR: A junior doctor of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-Bhubaneswar was among the four persons who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of cases in the City to 68.
This is for the first time that a health care provider of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar - treating coronavirus patients since early March - has been diagnosed with the infection.
The junior doctor, sources said, was on duty in the COVID isolation ward of the premier health institution. He was asymptomatic but underwent a test mandatory COVID test. While the source of infection is yet to be ascertained, it is believed that he might have come in contact with a Covid-19 patient undergoing treatment at the facility.
AIIMS Medical Superintendent, Dr Sachidananda Mohanty said the Junior Resident was tested positive during a routine test of doctors and paramedical staff who were on COVID duty. "As per protocol, we assign a seven-day COVID roster to every group selected for duty. At the end of seven days, everyone undergoes test," he informed.
The doctor, Dr Mohanty said, was one in a team of doctors and paramedics whose samples were sent for tests. He has been put under isolation in the hospital itself and contact tracing is on. "Although all the staff on COVID duty are well equipped, we are trying to find out whether anyone without protective gear has come in his direct contact at AIIMS," the Superintendent added.
On the day, three more persons also tested positive for coronavirus in Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) area. The fresh cases include one each from Kalinga Vihar, Dumduma and Aiginia area. The man from Dumduma was under home quarantine after coming in contact with a positive case detected previously.
Similarly, another person in Kalinga Vihar got the infection from a previous positive case. The source of infection of the Aiginia case has not been made public. BMC Commissioner, Prem Chandra Chaudhary said the patient from Dumduma area is a secondary contact of one of the earlier positive cases of Kalinga Vihar.
"There, however, is no fear of local transmission as the local contacts have direct or secondary links with the persons tested positive for the virus earlier," he said.
Chaudhury said there is no need to convert the areas as containment zones since none of the places has reported multiple cases. Contact tracing of the new cases is in progress. The neighbours and primary contacts have been asked to remain in home quarantine and will be on active surveillance, the Municipal
Commissioner said.
Around 50 neighbours of persons who tested positive have been put under home quarantine and four teams formed to carry out surveillance for next 14 days to find out whether other persons in the localities have developed symptoms, he informed.