Delhi: 31 staff including 11 doctors test positive for COVID-19 at Babu Jagjivan Ram hospital

Thirty-one staff at a Delhi government hospital, including 11 doctors, have tested positive for coronavirus till date, officials said on Friday.

A senior official of the facility said some of the doctors and other staff have been admitted at LNJP Hospital, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, and some private hospitals, while rest have been sent to quarantine facilities, including one in Narela.

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"Till Thursday, seven doctors and seven other staff had reported positive for COVID-19, and the number has grown to 31 now. Four more doctors have tested positive," he said.

He said the reason for such high rate of infection is possible because there seems to be a "community transmission" of the disease in Jahangirpuri area of north Delhi, where there are various containment zones.

"Many people have been coming to our hospital without any symptoms and that could have spread the disease," he added.

On Friday, besides doctors, nurses and paramedics, security guards, and deskpersons were also reported positive, the official said.

First positive case at the hospital was reported on April 22 after tests were conducted on various staff, he said.

Over 350 people have been tested for infection in the last several days, out of which 31 have tested positive, the official said.

About 5-6 bodies have been brought from Jahangirpuri area to the hospital's morgue in the last few days, and it is suspected they may have had COVID-19, so swabs have been taken from them for testing, the official said.