Jaslok Hospital to only attend emergency cases for a few days after patient tests positive

Mumbai's Jaslok Hospital on Wednesday issued a statement amid reports of one staffer testing positive for the novel Coronavirus and five others also being suspected. Earlier in the day, Republic TV was told the in-patient section of the hospital has been closed, with only critical patients being allowed and care being given to those already admitted. In the official statement, the hospital said that as a "responsible healthcare institution" it shall continue to attend emergency cases at all times if any. 

Here is the full statement:

The patient who was admitted in the hospital for different illness, with no travel history was tested positive after a few days. He was seen having symptoms of Coronavirus and was immediately shifted to the COVID isolation ward. Having said that, the safety and security of our staff as well as patients is of prime importance and hence as a precautionary measure, Jaslok Hospital has suspended its OPD services temporarily and no new admissions are being taken for a few days. With all protocols being followed, as a measure of caution, swab test of people who directly or indirectly came in contact with the patient are being tested. As a responsible healthcare institution, we shall attend to emergency cases at all times, if any.

Along with the statement, hospital sources have also confirmed to Republic that a 37-year-old COVID patient who was on ventilator for 8-9 days at Kasturbha and Jaslok Hospitals has been discharged after being fully cured. Earlier, sources had also told Republic that 100 people at the Jaslok Hospital are being tested for Coronavirus.

The total number of cases in the state of Maharashtra has escalated to 320. The deadly coronavirus has killed 12 people in the state till now.

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At last count, the total positive cases stood at 169 in Mumbai, 50 in Pune, 36 in Thane region, 25 in Sangli, Nagpur 16, Ahmednagar 8, Yavatmal 4, Buldhana 3, 2 each in Satara and Kolhapur, one each in Aurangabad, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Gondia, Jalgaon, Nashik. That number may well have risen overnight

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Meanwhile, the number of Coronavirus cases in the country has increased by 240 in the last 12 hours. A total number of COVID-19 positive cases stands at 1637 (including 1466 active cases, 133 cured/discharged/migrated people and 38 deaths), according to the latest statement by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

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