An Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer posted in the health department in Bhopal tested positive for coronavirus on Friday. He has been hospitalised, said officials.
The swab test report of the officer led to several officers including certain IAS officers, whose number couldn’t be specified immediately, choosing self-quarantine, officials added.
The infected officer attended several meetings where some top officials of the government were also present, except in the past few days, said department officials.
Commissioner, Health Services, MP government Faiz Ahmad Kidwai said, “The officer whose report has come positive has been hospitalised. However, another sample has been sent for test and the report is awaited.”
About others who came in his contact, the commissioner said, “All are taking precautions.”
Another officer who didn’t want to be named said the infected officer was not keeping well for the past three to four days, hence he chose to quarantine himself of late and kept away from meetings during this period.
“There are a good number of officers and employees who worked under his leadership and were involved in the health department’s multi-pronged action to identify and treat covid-19 positive patients and check the spread of the virus. All are being advised to take precautions and self-quarantine. The officers are having a discussion to find out ways to ensure that the work of the health department doesn’t suffer at this juncture,” the official quoted above said.
Earlier, four persons including three foreigners who took part in a ‘Foreign Jamaat’ in Bhopal tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday and were hospitalised, as per an official communiqué from the district administration.
Since Thursday night, as many as 20 cases of Covid-19 have come to light in Madhya Pradesh taking the tally to 127, including 95 in Indore, 9 in Bhopal, 8 in Jabalpur, 7 in Ujjain, two each in Gwalior, Shivpuri and Morena and one each in Khargone and Chhindwara. Eight patients have died.
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