KGH morgue in Vizag shut down as forensic doctor tests COVID-19 positive

Visakhapatnam district crossed the 300-mark, as 20 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Monday evening. Among the newly registered cases, two of them are PG doctors at King George Hospital (KGH). While one of them works in the orthopedic department, the other is from the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of the Andhra Medical College (AMC). With the doctor from the forensic medicine department testing positive for COVID-19, the morgue at KGH premises in Vizag was temporarily shut down on Monday. 

Speaking to Yo! Vizag, Andhra Medical College Principal, Dr PV Sudhakar informed that the morgue will remain closed for the next two weeks. Adding that alternative arrangements are being made for post-mortems, the AMC Principal said that they have requested the district authorities to allow the autopsies in the district hospital. As the PG doctors tested positive for the coronavirus, the officials began contact tracing. Stating that all primary contacts of both doctors, including the associate and assistant professors, doctors, nurses, and head nurses at KGH, have tested negative for the virus, Dr PV Sudhakar shared that all the individuals have still been placed under quarantine as a precautionary measure. In wake of these newly reported COVID-19 cases, sanitation works are being carried out all over the KGH and in the hostels of PG doctors. 

Over the past two days, Visakhapatnam district reported about 45 new COVID-19 cases. On 14 June 2020, the district recorded the most number of cases in a day, as 25 individuals tested positive for the virus. The following day, 20 new cases were reported, taking the district tally to 303 as on Monday. The number of discharged patients in the district continued to stand at 136 and 166 individuals are currently receiving treatment for the coronavirus in Visakhapatnam. Earlier, one patient in Vizag had died due to COVID-19. Currently, 41 areas in Visakhapatnam have been demarcated as very active clusters while 19 have been categorised as active clusters.