KEM doctor tests positive, staff put on Tamiflu

A 24-year-old resident doctor from the anaesthesia department of KEM Hospital tested positive for influenza HIN1 on Wednesday, following which 35 employees, including resident doctors, were put on Tamiflu. Just a day before another doctor from the skin department had tested positive for swine flu.

Dr Jayaraj Thanekar, the executive health officer, said doctors were the first line of defence against the virus. “Doctors will test positive because they are handling patients in OPDs. But we are fortunate to have enough stock of Tamiflu and masks,” he said.

Doctors from the general surgery and cosmetic surgery departments, who might have come in contact with the resident doctor, have been put on Tamiflu. “These doctors could have got it while treating a suspected or positive patient of swine flu. But it is difficult to track down the source,” Thanekar said. Both doctors have been quarantined at KEM.

Last week, a resident doctor from Kasturba had tested positive. He had quarantined himself and his wife in the house and started Tamiflu treatment. Two nurses from JJ Hospital have tested positive for influenza H1N1 till now. One of the nurses is six months pregnant. “She went to Pune to visit her family. After returning she had fever, running nose and headache. Subsequent tests revealed that she was positive,” Dr HH Jadhav, the JJ medical superintendent, said.

On Wednesday, 14 private hospitals opened their screening centres after BMC supplied Tamiflu. The centres, however, saw a scanty crowd because not many were aware that the centres were functioning from Wednesday. Bombay Hospital authorities said its centre would be functional in a day or two. Others like PD Hinduja in Mahim would need a few days more to start.