Suhrawardy Hospital ICU locked down, 57 staff detected Covid-19 positive

The Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has been placed under lockdown as a number of cases of coronavirus infection among its doctors and hospital staff have been identified.

Confirming the matter, Dr Uttam Kumar Barua, hospital director said a total of 57 hospital staff members, including 40 doctors and seven nurses, were diagnosed with the Covid-19 affecting the hospital's medical services.

He also said three of those infected were anaesthesiologists. Because of this, the work of the department was reduced which also affected the other divisions.

They have all been kept in quarantines. Others are being screened,” he added.

“Those who have not been infected have kept the gynaecology and surgery departments operational on a limited scale,” Dr Barua said.

Five to six doctors of the paediatrics department have been infected due to which admission in the inpatient department is suspended and will remain that way until the quarantine ends. But admission was being accepted in the outpatient department, he said.

“The ICU was already shut and being used for the treatment of Covid-19 patients, and it still is. It will be reopened after being disinfected… in the next week.”

According to Bangladesh Medical Association data, more than 600 health workers, including 300 doctors, have been infected. This is a cause for grave concern for public health specialists as the spread of the disease among doctors can disrupt the health system.