A COVID-19 patient undergoing treatment at the government Gandhi Hospital has attacked the doctors, after learning about his elder brother’s death in the same COVID-19 treatment block on Wednesday.

Both the deceased and his brother have returned from the Delhi Markaz, Dr. Shravan Kumar, hospital superintendent told DH.

The heinous attack comes at a time when Telangana’s health machinery especially the doctors and nurses has been overstretched with the piling cases of COVID-19 patients who returned from the Nizamuddin Tablighi Jamaat Markaz event.

Explaining that all the hospital’s staff are working in testing conditions, under extreme pressures, Dr. Kumar termed the incident as demoralizing for his community.

“Since the Covid-19 outbreak, we are all working tirelessly and selflessly forgetting about our families. Our moral strength weakening at this point, would weaken our physical capacities too,” Dr Kumar told DH.

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The assault was condemned by health minister Etela Rajender.

DGP Mahender Reddy promised strong action on the offender – “We will beef up security immediately and take all necessary measures to provide protection to all the Doctors and paramedics treating the Covid-19 patients 24x7,” Reddy said.

The state-run Gandhi hospital is the nodal centre for the COVID-19 isolation, testing and treatment in the state.

The deceased – a 56-year-old from Hyderabad – was admitted here a few days back in critical condition. The person with comorbid conditions had tested COVID-19 positive and was put on ventilator. Later his brother too was found to be positive and was put in the same ward. On Wednesday evening, following his brother’s death, he attacked the duty doctor and security staff.

“We will stand firmly in support of doctors who are striving day and night to save lives,” said health minister Etela.

Hyderabad police commissioner Anjani Kumar visited the hospital to instill confidence among the staff and said that a case has been registered against the culprit patient.