BMO Tral deemed to be culprit as DM Pulwama orders inquiry; father-son, husband-wife from same locality among the infected

PAMPORE: The District Magistrate Pulwama on Thursday ordered an inquiry into the discharge of six persons from a quarantine centre in Tral before their test reports for Covid-19 had arrived. All these six persons were found to be positive for Covid-19 when their reports arrived on Wednesday evening. Among them were a father and son who had been released from the quarantine centre in Tral after a previous test report for Covid-19 had come negative.
The Block Medical Officer (BMO) Tral is responsible for the negligence, according to the media briefing given by Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Pulwama on Thursday.
An elderly couple from the same locality as the father and son, Namblabal in Pampore, have also tested positive for Covid-19.
Tehsildar Pampore Ishtiyaq Mohi-ud-Din told Kashmir Reader that samples of the father and son were taken at Jammu on May 20, after which they were sent to a quarantine facility at Tral.
“The reports of test samples of the father and son, which were taken at Jammu, were not received during the first three days of their quarantine. A health department team then arrived to take samples of the persons who were in quarantine at Tral. The team took fresh samples of the father and son. The next day, the report of the samples taken at Jammu came negative and the father and son were discharged them from the quarantine facility,” Mohi-ud-Din told Kashmir Reader.
He said that the sample taken at the quarantine centre in Tral was processed at SKIMS Srinagar and the report came positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday. Why there was a discrepancy in the two test reports will be looked into, he said.
“In case there is any carelessness on the part of health officials, action will be taken against them. The Deputy Commissioner Pulwama is looking into the matter,” Mohi-ud-Din said.
He said that other family members of the father-son duo have been put in quarantine and people who might have come into contact with them should come forward to give samples for tests.
Test reports of two other aged residents of Namblabal Pampore, a husband and wife, both of whom are suffering from chronic ailments, also came positive. Their samples were collected at Srinagar Airport a few days ago.
“The aged residents were in home quarantine and were shifted to an isolation ward on Thursday,” Mohi-ud-Din said.
Health authorities at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Pampore advised neighbours of the persons tested positive cases to quarantine themselves at home. The Municipal Committee Pampore has sterilised the locality with fumigation.
Meanwhile, district authorities on Thursday issued an inquiry order regarding discharging of six inmates from a quarantine center in Tral without waiting for their test reports. All the 6 discharged inmates were found to be Covid-19 positive when their reports were received Wednesday evening.
An inquiry committee has been constituted under the aegis of ADC Tral with Deputy CMO and BDO Tral as members. The committee shall submit its report within 3 days.
A few days ago, a group of persons with travel history outside J&K were quarantined at Tral and were subsequently tested for Covid-19, officials told Kashmir Reader. The CMO Pulwama while briefing the media on this matter said that sampling, quarantining and discharge of travellers is to be done as per the government order and is the domain of the Block Medical Officer and his medical teams.
The CMO said that preliminary investigation has found that the BMO Tral negligently discharged 6 persons, including a father and son from Namblabal Pampore, from the quarantine centre in Tral without waiting for their test reports.
Taking cognisance of the matter, DM Pulwama Dr Raghav Langer on Thursday issued an order to investigate the alleged negligence, the CMO informed.
He said that such negligence on the part of BMO Tral has made hundreds of people vulnerable to Covid-19.
He said special teams were deputed overnight for quarantining of potential contacts and for collecting their samples.

BILAL HABIB