Hyderabad: Two frontline workers of the state-run Fever Hospital died of coronavirus within a span of 48 hours. Both worked as Class-IV employees at the hospital. 45-year-old Sanjeev Kumar was a ward boy while 41-year-old M Raj Kumar worked as a washerman. Both were involved in dealing with coronavirus patients. However, hospital authorities claim that the two victims had not picked up the infection within the hospital premises.
Fever Hospital superintendent, Dr K Shankar told that the ward boy had attended a funeral service following which he developed symptoms and later found positive on testing. He was admitted to Gandhi Hospital but succumbed to the disease within a week.
Regarding the washerman, hospital superintendent said that since he did not come in direct contact with patients and the washing is done in machines, he could not have picked up the infection in the hospital. He had complained of mild symptoms after which he was tested and found positive. He was treated at Nature Cure Hospital for three days. He was then advised home quarantine. However, on the last day of the home quarantine he suddenly had a stroke and died.
Following the death of two frontline workers large scale fumigation activities are being carried out at the Fever Hospital campus. At least four lab technicians and two doctors from the hospital have reportedly tested positive for coronavirus. However, Dr Shankar denied any possibility of cross-infection in the laboratory and said since technicians were not allowed in the lab without PPE kit on, there was no chance of them being infected in the hospital.
600 members of healthcare staff have contracted coronavirus in the state so far.