india

Updated: Apr 13, 2020 21:42 IST

A 22-year-old woman who delivered a boy in a state-run hospital in Kolkata on March 11, tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday evening following which she was separated from her baby, officials said.

The mother and the child have now been kept in separate isolation wards. The child’s samples would be sent for tests on Tuesday, hospital authorities said. Both the mother and the child were doing fine.

“The women delivered a male child on March 11. Later she complained of fever. We sent her samples for Covid-19 tests. She has tested positive. We have kept them in separate isolation wards. We will be sending the child’s samples for tests,” said Indranil Biswas, medical superintendent and vice-principal of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital.

Follow coronavirus latest updates here.

Following this, the state health department issued a detailed advisory on Monday on how to take care of pregnant women.

ASHA and ANM workers have been asked to trace all pregnant women, especially high risk pregnancies, to avoid any complications. All medical colleges have been directed to set up separate OTs for pregnant women infected with the virus or suspected of having Covid-19. Kangaroo mothers have been asked to maintain proper respiratory hygiene.

Hospital authorities said that the labour and surgery room where the woman was kept and had to undergo a cesarean section, have been closed down for two days for fumigation and proper sanitization. The other patients (pregnant women) in the ward have also been shifted to isolation wards. Around 12 samples would also be sent for tests.

“Both the mother and the child are doing absolutely fine. Some of the doctors and nurses have already been tested. They have been found to be negative. All our medical staff are properly equipped with masks, PPEs and gloves and maintain strict protocols. Samples of a few other medical staff have also been sent for tests,” said a top official of the hospital.

Meanwhile a private hospital in Kolkata had to be closed down for fumigation after a patient was detected with Covid-19. Earlier two state run hospitals had to close down some their wards after patients treated in those wards tested positive for Covid-19.