Officials searching for 2 drivers after corona-hit woman travels in auto to CMC

Vellore

It all started a few days ago when the husband of a Vellore municipal middle school anganwadi organiser at Kagithapattarai tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to the CMC Hospital.

The anganwadi organiser, a resident of Sathuvachari, went back home and feeling doubtful about her and her child’s health status underwent testing for COVID-19 at the local primary health centre. There, her son was found negative while she tested positive.

Though rules stipulate that such cases should be taken to hospital only by ambulance, the woman went by auto to CMC Hospital on Thursday night around 8 pm as neither the private ambulance nor the 108 ambulance she called for responded. She also returned home by another auto.

At CMC, she failed to state that she was positive and the staff thinking that she wanted only to be tested asked her to return the next morning.

She immediately called up AIADMK district treasurer M Moorthy and sought his help to be admitted in CMC. Moorthy told her to tell the truth and when she did so on Friday morning she was admitted immediately.

On health officials being informed of the lack of response by the 108 ambulance and her up/down trips by auto, senior health officials pulled up the PHC doctor for not arranging an ambulance to shift the patient to hospital. The hunt is now on to trace the two auto drivers who picked and dropped her.

Though there were rumours that CMC had run out of beds for COVID-19 patients, its director JV Peter said, “We have enough beds. While 34 of the 304 are vacant in the COVID-19 ward, 6 beds of the 34 in the ICU are free.”

Collector warns workers not to show slackness in testing
Collector A Shanmuga Sundaram, outlining a series of measures to tackle surge in COVID-19 infection in Vellore district called upon the officials to ensure prompt action. He also threatened action against the officials if found sluggish in efforts to reduce the rate of infection.

The Collector issued instructions to executive officers, municipal commissioners, Vellore corporation commissioner, zonal officers and tahsildars to ensure complete screening and action due to the influx of outsiders, specially from Chennai. He ordered that primary and secondary contact tracing should be completed and swab tests undertaken for all on or before June 27. Stating that screening at border check posts should be tightened, he said those entering Vellore district without e-pass, specially from Chennai, should be sent back. Calling on such visitors to voluntarily undertake a swab test, he said those who take such tests should self-quarantine themselves at home and that police cases would be filed against them if they are found breaking quarantine rules.

If found, such persons would then be compulsorily quarantined at COVID care facilities presently functioning in hostels.