Teen cancer patient from Kasganj tests positive in Noida

NOIDA: A 15-year-old cancer patient from Kasganj tested positive for Covid-19 in Noida on Wednesday, taking the total tally to 103. While 59 of the cases are active, 44 patients have recovered.
Meanwhile, new guidelines for counting cases came into force on Wednesday. Earlier, a patient with address proof from the district was counted as its positive case, even if he or she tested positive in another city.Now, a person will be added as a positive case in the district where their sampling has been done. Thus, a resident of Delhi or Ghaziabad who tests positive in Noida will be added to Noida’s tally. Delhi has already been adding patients who test positive there to its own tally, irrespective of their residence.
Officials said the move aimed at easing data collation at the state and central levels.
“We have started implementing the new guidelines from today and will count all patients whose sampling was done here,” said district magistrate Suhas LY.
Thus, the new case, a 15-year-old girl from Kasganj in UP’s Etah district, will be added to Noida’s count. On Tuesday night, four relatives of a healthcare worker from Sector 34 also tested positive in Delhi. However, they will be considered Delhi cases.
“The patient from Kasganj had been admitted to Child PGI hospital for leukaemia treatment. She was tested for Covid-19 and the results came positive,” Dr Deepak Ohri, chief medical officer (CMO), GB Nagar, told TOI.
The patient, who arrived on March 16, had earlier tested negative for Covid-19. However, as there were symptoms, she was kept in an isolation ward and a second test was conducted.
“Since respiratory distress was found, we tested the patient again. This is the fourth such case where an initial negative report has turned positive,” Dr DK Gupta from Child PGI said, adding that though the patient initially needed oxygen support, she is doing fine now.
Many nurses at the hospital have raised request for leave.
“About 33 nurses and other staff are being sent to a quarantine facility and will be tested. However, we will also take action against those trying to shun work and go on leave when we are already short-staffed,” added Dr Gupta.
Meanwhile, three Covid-19 patients were discharged on Wednesday, including two from GIMS and one from Sharda Hospital.