As of now, more than 50 doctors and medical staff have been tested positive for the novel coronavirus. These rising numbers of COVID-19 positive doctors is raising a lot of concerns in India.  

Apart from running short of doctors, the officials fear that it might lead to city hospitals becoming the new high-risk areas. 

57 healthcare workers including 21 doctors at the Delhi-government run Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini are being tested for COVID-19 after coming in contact with a suspected patient in the emergency department last week. 

The 40-year-old woman from Jahangirpuri was admitted to the hospital’s medical emergency ward in isolation, where she later died. There was a similar scare in Bhagwan Mahavir Hospital last week, where 68 members of the staff had to be quarantined. 

However, they returned to duty a day later when the suspected patient tested negative. In Jahangirpuri’s Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, staff members started testing positive for Covid-19 over the weekend. 

Till Thursday evening, 10 healthcare workers tested positive for the infection. Around 191 hospital staff had to be quarantined.  

To prevent infection within the hospitals located in hot spots, the Union Health Ministry on Monday had advised a clear demarcation between the out-patient clinics and the wards where patients are tested for Covid-19 and admitted. All of the 11 districts in Delhi are hot spots. 

All hospitals have set up flu clinics that are separate from the main building to screen patients for fever and cough and any history to suggest contact with a positive person. Only those that the doctors suspect are asked to get tested. 

And as we all know not all Covid carriers have symptoms. According to Indian Council of Medical Research 80% of the people either have nil or very mild symptoms. 

The major reason behind the hospitals becoming high-risk areas is because the doctors are not testing everyone, which is not even possible. What’s happening right now is that people who have fever, cough and cold are asked to go to flu clinics. 

So, if a large number of the population has no symptoms, then if they will infect doctors and nurses once they get to the hospital, who will then pass it on to their colleagues, families and patients. This is believed to happen until there are cheaper testing kits, and everybody coming to the hospital is tested before they come in.   

In the last two days, the south-west district has reported five cases of healthcare professionals and paramedic staff testing positive, while the south district has close to eight such cases. There are several patients who go to hospitals for treatment.Hence, the hospitals have to ensure a high standard of hygiene and sanitisation. They should also provide PPE to all staff.