Nashik hospital sends home H1N1 +ve

Another faux pas at the Nashik civil hospital was brought to the fore when a positive person was sent home as negative and readmitted again.

The pressure on the National Institute of Virology, Pune and the tension built up at the civil hospital was evident when a suspect admitted on last Monday, Rishikesh Kulkarni, a software professional working in Pune, was released saying his report from NIV was negative.

However, on Thursday evening, civil hospital authorities picked him up from his sister’s home after informing him that his report was actually positive. Following this, Kulkarni’s sister and her family members have been admitted as suspects and are under prophylactic treatment. The hospital surgeon said that Kulkarni was released as his condition had improved but had to be readmitted. Sources state that the hospital authorities took the report on the phone and were informed that the test was negative. However when they received a written report, it said that the sample was positive.
The number of H1N1 virus infected persons rose to 19 at the civil hospital. One person died late last night but it is unclear if he was infected with H1N1 virus. Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal visited the hospital and spoke to patients including Kulkarni.

The number of beds in the quarantine ward has been increased to 42 from 16. The district collector P Vellarasu on Saturday evening had issued a notification to schools stating that Independence Day attendance for students may not be compulsory and that all cultural programmes should be curtailed.