Agartala: A day after the West district magistrate ordered the suspension of outdoor patients service (OPD) at Tripura Medical College (TMC) after a sudden rise in positive COVID-19 cases, the swab sample of 22 health workers have tested negative within 24 hours.
This caused confusion and tension among health workers, and a high-level meeting on Monday would decide the next course of action.
Speaking with reporters, Dr Arindam Dutta, medical superintendent (MS) at the Tripura Medical College Hospital in Hapania, said 31 people had been detected with COVID-19, including health workers and patients, in the past two days.
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“Antigen tests showed evidence of coronary heart disease. Most of them have been sent for home isolation. Only three people showed symptoms of being COVID-19 positive while others were asymptomatic,” Dutta said.
He also said that RT-PCR tests were arranged for health workers to confirm their results on coronary infections.
“The health staff underwent an antigen test on February 19, in which the reports came positive. The next day, the RT-PCR test was conducted in which all reports except one came negative,” Dutta added.
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The MS said that 23 people underwent RT-PCR tests, and only one report came positive. Three people could not come for the test as they were very ill.
“Swab samples reporting positive in antigen test and negative in RT-PCR test, the matter has confused us. Therefore, a detailed discussion with experts is needed. It is not possible to take any risks right now,” he opined.
Speaking further, he said that everyone who is diagnosed with corona would be at home in isolation. There will be a high-level meeting on this issue on Monday.
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“Today’s meeting would be attended by the chief medical officer of the West district, health experts related to coronavirus, chief microbiologist of GBP Hospital, and senior officials of the health department and TMC hospital,” Dutta said.
The MS said the TMC authorities would take necessary action according to the health department recommendations.
