CUTTACK: Two staff nurses of Acharya Harihar Postgraduate Institute of Cancer (AHPGIC) on Saturday tested positive for COVID-19 prompting the only Government-run cancer hospital to go for curtailment of admissions and attend to critical cases only.
The nurses had come in contact with a patient, who tested positive on June 24. The patient from Ganjam district was admitted for chemotherapy on June 19. Following the detection, the ward had been sealed and completely sanitised with doctors nurses and staff, who were suspected of coming in contact with the patient, sent to home quarantine.
Officials said that swab samples of 52 persons were collected from the hospital and sent for tests. Of them, one male and one female nurse tested positive. They have been admitted to the Ashwini Covid Hospital. Considering the situation, authorities have decided to be cautious while dealing with new patients in the hospital.
They have decided against admitting new patients, but critical cases will be taken in. Every patient to be admitted will be thoroughly screened at the outpatient department (OPD) and tested for COVID-19 if suspected, hospital sources said.
Meanwhile, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation on Sunday declared a part of the CDA Sector-9 as containment zone after detection of a positive case. The decision was taken after IIC of Badamba police station, who was staying in a rented house here, tested positive on Saturday.
"CDA Sector-9 is a densely populated area that requires detailed measures for active contact tracing. To facilitate this, it is necessary to make the area a containment zone and restrict public from entering into and going out of the zone," stated the order of CMC.
Eight fresh covid-19 cases in Cuttack
The district on Sunday registered eight new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of cases to 556. The new cases included five from Badamba, two from Cuttack city and one an NDRF personnel. The city also reported one death, with the patient from Cantonment Road area, who was found positive on June 21, succumbing to the disease.