Bodies of suspected Coronavirus patients handed over to relatives by Mumbai’s Nair Hospital before test results were out, some test positive later: Report

A very serious lapse has been reported from a state-run hospital at Mumbai, Maharashtra. Times Now has reported that the dead bodies of a large number of patients who were suspected of suffering from the Wuhan Coronavirus were handed over to their relatives for the performance of their last rites by the BMC Nair Hospital before their test results had come in. At least three of them had tested positive for the virus later.

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The death certificates clearly mention that the deceased were Coronavirus suspects. Another significant aspect of the matter is that some of these patients were in the hospital for four or five days and yet, the test results did not come during this period for some reason. Furthermore, a no-objection certificate was issued by the Mumbai Police regarding the release of the dead bodies. Eventually, some of these patients at the BMC Nair Hospital tested positive for the Wuhan Coronavirus.

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The Dean of BMC Nair Hospital has issued a rather perplexing explanation for the lapse. He claims that there is a 50-50 chance of a person being Coronavirus positive and until the test results come in, the patients cannot be labelled Coronavirus positive. A probe was apparently conducted by 2 of the professors but it doesn’t explain how any of this is a legitimate defence for the serious lapses on the part of the hospital.

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There are other lapses reported from the BMC Nair Hospital as well. Two of the staffers have alleged that they haven’t received the adequate protection necessary to combat the crisis.

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Maharashtra remains the worst affected state

Maharashtra is the worst affected state during the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic. As of the time of writing this report, 5652 people have been reported to be suffering from the virus with 789 recoveries and 269 deaths as per the website of the Ministry of Family and Health Welfare. And now it appears that the death tally might have been understated given the gross mishandling of the situation in at least one hospital. It remains to be seen whether any of the families of the deceased have contracted the virus from the corpses of their family members.

Maharashtra: The Lockdown Violations

On top of the mounting crisis, Maharashtra has witnessed several lockdown violations by people in the state. On the 14th of April, a large number of migrant workers had gathered at Bandra and Mumbra demanding that arrangements be made for them to return home. Home Minister Amit Shah had spoken to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray emphasizing that such violation weaken India’s fight against the Wuhan Coronavirus. On Thursday, another incident of lockdown violation was reported from Malegaon.