Gokak administration 'leaks' details of COVID-19 patient

In a major goof-up, the taluk administration of Gokak in Belagavi district has revealed the name of a COVID-19 patient. The document has now gone viral with several residents of the town making it their status message on WhatsApp and have posted it on their Facebook page.

The 23-year-old resident of Gokak, who worked at a BPO in Delhi, had returned to his home town via the Shramik Express on May 16. He was institutionally quarantined at BCM Hostel, Gokak since then. His swab samples were collected on May 25 and was discharged from ‘institutional quarantine’ on May 29 without giving his medical report. He was instructed to complete 14-days of home quarantine. And after four days of returning home his medical report has come positive now.

With him turning positive, the administration has now sent him to hospital quarantine at Belagavi Civil hospital, while his family of six are quarantined at an institute in Gokak by the taluk administration.

Speaking to DH, the 23-year-old youth (P-3670) said “My worst fear has come true. 25 of us were institutionally quarantined at BCM Hostel, Gokak. While five of us, who returned from Delhi, were tested on May 25, the remaining 20, who returned from Maharashtra were tested on May 26. Of them, results of only two have be released so far and I have turned positive for the virus.”

“We repeatedly requested the Gokak tahsildar not to send us home as we feared of spreading the disease to others. One of our co-passengers in a bus from Hubballi to Belagavi had turned positive to the virus. Yet, the officials did not heed our request and discharged us from the hostel citing the new guidlines,” he said.

Another person, who travelled along with P-3670 and who is waiting for his medical report also, said administration's carelessness has put not just my family in hardship but also others in the town. “Ours is an agriculture family, if all my family members are quarantined, who will look after our cattle and field, during this peek agriculture season”.

He also said that few of the returnees, who were released from institutional quarantine without reports, have attended marriages and other social gatherings. “Who will take responsibility if they turn positive now?” he said.

P-3670 also claimed that he and his family is facing hardship in town as people have started sharing his details on social networking sites.

Jothi Angadi, co-ordinating officer of Gokak has switched off her mobile, while Belagavi Deputy Commissioner S B Bommanahalli did not receive the call.