48 health staffers get infected with Covid-19 at Abbottabad hospital

ABBOTTABAD: As many as 48 healthcare professionals, including 29 doctors and 19 nurses, have been infected with Covid-19 in Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) out of whom 12 doctors and six nurses have been recovered so far.

Briefing the media through a video message, Dr Ahsin, Medical Director of Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad, said that hospital employees, including doctors and nurses were exposed to Covid-19. He added that patients 70 percent wards were occupied at the moment.

“The month of June and July would be difficult and the public should cooperate by use facemasks and observing social distance,” he added.Dr Ahsin said that healthcare professionals, including doctors and nurses were infected with coronavirus as they were treating patients. He added that the patients visiting the OPDs and people generally did not follow the standing operating procedures (SOPs).

He said that coronavirus was spreading speedily and asked the public to follow the precautionary measures. He advised the general public particularly the ones visiting hospitals to use facemasks.

He added that 897 patients having symptoms of Covid-19 were examined in OPDs in ATH out of whom 153 suspected patients have been admitted in hospital.

“About 56 patients were declared positive amongst them out of which 26 patients are still admitted in hospital. Eight patients are in a critical condition,” the medical director said, adding that 18 Covid-19 patients have died in the hospital while 12 patients had recovered.

Commenting upon the newly established PCR Machine for Covid-19, Dr Ahsin said that they have managed to get 2400 PCR tests in the hospital laboratory from all over Hazara division. He said that they have got sufficient consumables for the laboratory and would get more today and lab has become fully functional. He ruled out the impression that PCR machine has been closed. He said that they had started collecting samples.