COVID-19 negative patient discharged only to return to quarantine
Suhail Khan
BARAMULLA, May 20: A 40-year-old man who was kept under official quarantine at Baramulla town and was discharged on Monday morning after being declared negative for COVID-19 has been asked by the administration to immediately return to the quarantine facility citing that his test has come positive for the same disease.
Talking to Kashmir Despatch, the affected person whose identity can’t be revealed because of the COVID protocol, said that he not only joined many others in the quarantine centre during his three days stay there but after being discharged on Monday (May 18) he spent the night with his family members including his two minor children.
The case is a typical example of official negligence which has put lives of many others in the quarantine centre at risk in addition to the family members of the said person, opined a doctor at District Hospital Baramulla on the condition of anonymity.
“I have no hesitation in returning to the quarantine centre and staying there for the mandatory period but the question remains that how can officials including the medical staff be so negligent that they have risked the precious lives of scores of people whom I came to contact with during this whole period,” said the person who has now been declared positive for the COVID-19. (The video of the conversation is in possession of Kashmir Despatch).
It is important to mention here that this is the second case of official negligence in last two days after a person from Handwara was discharged from a COVID-19 quarantine centre after declaring him negative for the disease. However, the officials rushed to put him in isolation after his test reports came positive for the deadly disease.
Dr Abdul Hameed, Principal Government Medical College Baramulla told Kashmir Despatch, said that he is not aware about the issue. He said he will look into the matter. “If there is any fault on part of the officials of health department, we will take action,” he said.
Chief Medical Officer Baramulla Dr Deeba Khan told Kashmir Despatch that there was some issue in the sample taken from the patient which created some confusion among the officials. She said BMO has been called and will discuss the whole issue with him then accordingly will share more details.
