Tamil Nadu hospital mistakenly discharges 4 Coronavirus positive patients; search ongoing

In an act of negligence, four individuals who had tested positive for coronavirus were discharged from a hospital in Tamil Nadu after being given wrong certificates which stated that they tested 'negative'.

READ: Tamil Nadu Cops Told To Continue Strict Enforcement Of Lockdown: DGP

Staff negligence

ANI quoted "Test results of 26 patients had come in the evening, out of which four were positive. Later, by mistake, these four patients were given negative certificates," said S Jayakumar, Villupuram Superintendent of Police. The police added that they have been able to track three patients and bring them to the hospital but one person, who is a 30-year-old man from New Delhi is missing. Local police has formed three teams to trace the person.

READ: Amid Lockdown, Tamil Nadu Police Tightens Grip Against Violators

The police have also released a few pictures of the missing person and have given a number for anyone to call immediately if they come to know anything about him. People have been asked to call on 04146 223265 to report about the missing person. However, no action has been taken against hospital authorities for the negligence. The dean of the hospital, Dr. Senthil Kumar, also reserved his reactions over the issue.

Tamil Nadu has recorded the second-highest number of cases in the country with 738 cases and eight deaths.

In a similar case of medical negligence, Chennai's Stanley Hospital authorities handed over the body of a COVID-19 positive patient to the family, even before getting the test results.

On the other hand, in order to stop the spread of the virus, Tamil Nadu Police has been given instructions to strictly enforce the lockdown to combat COVID-19 spread, state DGP J K Tripathy said on Wednesday.

Talking to PTI over phone, he said strict measures are being taken by police to enforce the lockdown and prevent people from coming out "unnecessarily or for jolly rides".

READ: Naidu Urges Centre, Palaniswamy To Provide Relief To Migrant Workers Stuck In Tamil Nadu

Action against violators of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and other laws have been taken by booking 1,07,182 cases throughout Tamil Nadu.

"We arrested 1,16,656 persons for breaking various rules during the lockdown period and seized 90,588 vehicles including two and four-wheelers. The total fine collected from the violators is Rs.33,60,844" he said, adding that clear instructions have been given to police officials to enforce the rule of law and not use force against the public.

READ: 'PM Modi Made It Clear That Lockdown Will Not Be Lifted In One Go': BJD's Pinaki Misra

(With agency inputs)