At least 100 Covid warriors infected in Dharwad

At least 100 corona warriors have been infected with the virus so far in Dharwad district.

Of them, one Assistant Sub-inspector attached to Gantikeri Police station has succumbed to the virus.

Deputy Commissioner Nitesh Patil said the district administration does not have a consolidated list regarding the total number of corona warriors, including doctors, police officials, ASHA workers and pourakarmikas, who have been affected with Covid-19.

Information provided by various departments say that at least 100 of them have been infected so far.

According to Arun Kumar, Medical Superintendent of Karnataka Medical Science, Hubballi, the district's Covid-19 centre, 45 medical staff including 10 doctors, 10 nurses, 10 post graduate students, 10 interns and house surgeons, and five group C-D employees have been infected with coronavirus while on duty.

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Of the 10 doctors infected, eight are still recovering.

Doctors getting infected with the virus is adversely affecting the medical care at KIMS, as increase in the number of cases is adding additional burden on the already stressed staff here. The chances of virus spreading from these doctors to visiting patients is also high.

“Every day we need a minimum of 60 doctors to take care of Covid-19 patients at KIMS. With several of our medical staff, including doctors in quarantine, providing treatment is becoming challenging,” said Arun Kumar.

A senior doctor at KIMS, who did not wish to be named, said earlier that after every seven days of Covid-19 duty we used to take 14 days of self-isolation. However, with several doctors infected many doctors are not even getting their weekly offs.

KIMS sources also confirmed that the management has done away with sealing down of departments after a doctor in the department gets infected as it would have adverse impact on treatment. “The infected section/ward is sanitised and treatment goes on,” said the doctor.

ASI dead

As many as 44 police personnel attached to Hubballi-Dharwad police commissionerate, have been infected with the virus so far. Of this one 55-year-old ASI, with previous medical history succumbed to the virus. However, his death has been so far not reported in the state medical bulletin.

Of the 44 affected, nearly eight police personnel have been discharged from institutional quarantine.
Speaking to DH, Deputy Commissioner of Police (L&O) P Krishnakant said as of now no police stations are seal down, but each one of them is being sanitised every alternative day.

With several police personnel either being quarantined or in isolation; this is impacting the implementation of the complete lockdown in Dharwad district.

The district administration does not have exact numbers on the number of ASHA workers, pourakarmikas and others affected by Covid-19. Sources said that at least 31 ‘healthcare’ workers are affected.