Pune city hospitals report rising Covid cases among staff

Time of India

2 days ago

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Pune: Hospitals in the city are seeing a steady increase in Covid-19 cases among healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses. However, medical experts confirmed that there is no immediate concern about staffing shortages.
In other developments, rare complications are also being reported in some patients, such as heart failure and Covid-related encephalitis — although these remain uncommon.
Dr Ameet Dravid, an infectious diseases expert at Noble Hospital, said that two of his doctor colleagues are self-isolating after testing positive for Covid. "We are testing hospital staff, and a few have been detected Covid-positive," he said.
The doctor added that there was a recent case of Covid-related encephalitis in the hospital, where the virus affected a patient's brain. "The patient was, however, successfully treated and discharged. Additionally, a young female patient was admitted with heart failure linked to Covid complications, a rare occurrence. The complication rate is low, but with multiple cases now, some complications are expected," he added.
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On Tuesday, Dravid said a young Covid patient was admitted with bleeding in the abdomen, another rare complication.
At Poona Hospital, Dr Ajit Tambolkar, an intensivist, reported one recent Covid-positive patient with a rare complication — a small clot in the heart causing heart failure in a younger individual. "This is unusual but not unprecedented. We've seen such cases in past surges," he said.
He added that around 1-2% of hospital staff are testing Covid-positive, but all cases are mild and manageable.
"There's no panic, and we're maintaining strict precautions like masking and handwashing," Tambolkar said.
Poona Hospital has a dedicated Covid ward with a capacity of 10 patients to handle any rise in cases.
Dr Piyush Chaudhary, an infectious disease specialist at Jehangir Hospital, echoed that there was an increase in Covid-positive cases among staff. "Those in contact with patients can get infected, but it's not causing any staffing issues so far," he said.
Hospitals in Pune are reinforcing protocols, including mandatory masking, handwashing, and dedicated Covid wards.
Dr Vijay Natarajan, cardiac surgeon and healthcare administrator at Bharati Hospital and Research Centre, emphasized the mild nature of current cases. "We're treating Covid based on clinical condition, as it's like any other viral illness now," he said.
The doctor added that rapid antigen test kits are scarce, and routine testing has decreased.
"Unlike the first and second waves, there's no need to test everyone. It's a mild form with hardly any hospitalizations or deaths," Dr Natarajan said.
He added that staff with viral symptoms are taking sick leave but are not routinely tested, as isolation is less critical given the mild symptoms.
Dr Manish Kolge, a physician and intensivist at Rao Hospital, reported four to five mild Covid cases responding well to symptomatic treatment. "No staff have tested positive at our hospital, and people aren't as frightened as before," he said. He stressed that staff follow strict protocols, including masking, sanitization, and maintaining distance from patients.